BYLAWS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT
(CONDUCTORS, BRAKEPERSONS, YARDPERSONS, ENGINEPERSONS & YARDMASTERS)

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
(CHICAGO NORTH WESTERN LINES)


Table of Contents
Article 1 Article 2 Article 3 Article 4 Article 5
Article 6 Article 7 Article 8 Article 9 Article 10
Article 11 Article 12 Article 13 Article 14 Article 15




ARTICLE 1

WHEREAS: The former C&NW Committee representing Conductors, the former M&STL Committee representing Conductors, Brakepersons and Yardpersons, the former CGW & DMCI Committee representing Brakepersons and Yardpersons, the former CGW Committee representing Conductors, the former L&M Committee representing Conductors, Brakepersons, Yardpersons and Yardmasters, the former FDDM&S representing Conductors, Brakepersons and Yardmasters being consolidated with the former C&NW General Committee representing Brakepersons, Yardpersons and Yardmasters, former CMO Committee representing Conductors, Brakepersons, Yardpersons and former C&NW Proper and former CMO UTU-E Committee representing Enginepersons. Be it resolved that this General Committee shall be known as follows:

GENERAL COMMITTEE OF ADJUSTMENT
(TRAINPERSONS, YARDPERSONS AND ENGINEPERSONS)
UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
(CHICAGO NORTH WESTERN LINES)

SECTION 1. The General Committee of Adjustment shall consist of the Chairpersons of the Local Committees of adjustment of each Local or their properly accredited alternate.

ARTICLE 2

SECTION 1. The officers of the General Committee of Adjustment shall consist of full time General Chairperson, one full time Vice General Chairperson, three part time Vice General Chairpersons and a Secretary.

SECTION 2. The officers of the General Committee must hold seniority rights in one of the crafts which come under the jurisdiction of the General Committee of Adjustment.

SECTION 3. Incumbent officers, accredited members of the General Committee, and any member of the UTU holding seniority and working in a craft represented by the General Committee shall be eligible for election to full-time office. Only accredited members of the General Committee shall be eligible for election to Vice General Chairperson or Secretary of the Committee. The officers of the General Committee shall be elected by secret vote of the members of the General Committee during the quadrennial meeting. Nominations of officers of the General Committee shall be without prejudice to race, sex, color or creed.

SECTION 4. Officers elected at quadrennial meeting will take office immediately following the election.
  1. The General Chairperson and full time Vice General Chairperson of the General Committee of Adjustment are authorized to attend International Conventions of the United Transportation Union when in session.
SECTION 5. Should any of the offices of Vice General Chairperson or Secretary become vacant due to resignation, removal, death or for any other reason, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with Article 82 of the UTU Constitution.

ARTICLE 3

SECTION 1. The duties of the General Chairperson will be as defined in Article 87 of the UTU Constitution.

SECTION 2. The General Chairperson will maintain an office in the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; the location of the office may be changed by action of the Full Committee when in session, or by mail ballot when the Full Committee is not in session, and will state where the location of the office is to be moved, giving reason for the move.

SECTION 3. The General Committee will employ a sufficient staff so as to properly handle the business of the Committee. Salaries and expenses so incurred to be paid from the funds of the General Committee of Adjustment.

ARTICLE 4

SECTION 1. It is the duty of the full time Vice General Chairperson to assist the General Chairperson in preserving order or performing various duties of the General Chairperson. In the absence of the General Chairperson, he/she shall be vested with power of that position and conduct sessions of the Committee.

SECTION 2. The Secretary of the General Committee shall promptly notify the International President in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Chairperson and/or Vice General Chairperson. The International President shall order an election to be held in accordance with the provisions of Article 82 of the UTU Constitution to fill the vacancy. In the interim, the duly elected full time Vice General Chairperson will fill the vacancy. It will be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of the proceedings of the General Committee of Adjustment, and to prepare such other documents as may be required. Within the fory-five (45) days of the close of the meeting, all Local Chairpersons and members of the General Committee of Adjustment will be furnished a copy of the minutes.

ARTICLE 5

SECTION 1. The Subcommittee, composed of the General Chairperson, full time Vice General Chairperson and Secretary, is authorized to act as the Full General Committee of Adjustment between sessions.

SECTION 2. The Subcommittee may be convened in special session by order of the General Chairperson.

SECTION 3. The General Chairperson may establish other Committees and appoint accredited members of the General Committee to serve thereon.

ARTICLE 6

SECTION 1. The Chairperson shall convene the General Committee upon request of a member of said Committee, provided:
  1. a two-thirds majority of the Committee concurs in such request and
  2. sufficient funds are available.
SECTION 2. All matters to come before the General Committee of Adjustment shall be presented in writing and in the hands of the Chairperson of the General Committee of Adjustment fifteen (15) days prior to the convening of the General Committee of Adjustment. In addition, the Committee may, by majority vote, consider other matters during the session which were not so handled.

SECTION 3. The majority of Local Chairpersons or their alternates from their respective Locals shall have full power to transact all business of the Committee. Alternates must be duly authorized by their Local and currently acting as its Vice Local Chairperson.

SECTION 4. Each member of this Committee shall answer roll call and his/her failure to attend this meeting without just reason or cause will result in his/her not being paid for the day except as indicated below:
  1. He/she may be excused by the Committee when engaged in work connected with the General Committee of Adjustment by instruction of the Committee or General Chairperson.
  2. He/she may be excused if absent account of sickness of himself/ herself.
  3. Members excused under the provisions of paragraphs A and B will be excused with pay. Members excused for any other reason will not be paid for time lost.
SECTION 5. Local Chairpersons dismissed from the railway company may retain their position pending the resolution of their appeal to a duly authorized tribunal for adjudication.

SECTION 6. A member under jurisdiction of the General Committee of Adjustment who has on appeal a claim for all time lost, prior to being reinstated on a leniency basis, will furnish the Chairperson an affidavit so acknowledging, indicating that claim for lost time is withdrawn from further progression.

ARTICLE 7

The expense of the General Committee of Adjustment shall be defrayed by assessments levied on the members under its jurisdiction. The established assessment is $25.00. In the event the General Committee Fund falls below $250,000.00 the assessment will increase to $35.00. Once the Fund exceeds $500,000.00 the assessment will revert back to $25.00. This process will repeat itself as necessary. Other changes in the assessment may be changed as per Article 84 of the UTU Constitution.

ARTICLE 8

SECTION 1. The following positions will be on a full-time basis and the present bi-weekly salary of such position is as follows:

POSITION BI-WEEKLY DAILY
General Chairperson $4,452.16 $318.02
Vice General Chairperson $4,006.94 $286.21






Effective May 16, 1977, the Vice General Chairperson's salary was adjusted and continued to be computed on the basis of 90% of the General Chairperson's salary as established herein.
  1. Salaries of all full-time Committee officers and employees will be raised in the same ratio of wage increases or cost-of-living adjustments as afforded International Officers under Article 29 of the UTU Constitution.
  2. The cost of maintaining railroad retirement payments, Health and Welfare, UTU pension plans, life insurance plans and unemployment assessments will be an obligation of the General Committee of Adjustment and such benefits will continue to be afforded full-time officers and employees of the General Committee of Adjustment.
  3. The full-time officers and employees of the General Committee of Adjustment shall be granted vacation with pay, consistent with terms of the National Vacation Agreement, based on their earnings from the Committee. Such vacation may be split if desired but will not be carried over from one year to the next, subject to Article 86 of the UTU Constitution.
  4. A full-time officer or employee of the General Committee of Adjustment where by reason of death, retirement, resignation or for any other reason leaves or dismisses himself/herself from such office or employment, will be allowed payment in lieu of vacation earned in the previous year before such leave and such vacation allowance due in the year of departure.
ARTICLE 9

SECTION 1. The present established salary for a Committee day is $258.81 and this salary shall be increased or decreased in the same ratio as wage allowances and cost-of-living adjustments.
  1. This is the salary for Local Chairpersons or their authorized alternate when in session and when performing service on/or appointed to a Committee. The Secretary of the General Committee when performing General Committee work as authorized by the General Chairperson shall be compensated on a Committee-day basis salary.
  2. The Committee day will be raised by the same ratio of wage adjustment or cost-of-living adjustment enjoyed by other members of the General Committee of Adjustment.
  3. The members listed in Article 9, paragraph A are subject to vacation pay in accordance with Article 86 of the UTU Constitution.
ARTICLE 10

The authorized per diem allowance of the General Committee of Adjustment is established at $113.00 per day or on a pro-ration as established by the UTU Constitution. The per diem allowance shall be increased or decreased to reflect the same payment as that of International Officers.

ARTICLE 11

In accordance with action of the 1979 Full General Committee, the mileage allowance effective on approval of the amended by-laws, is $0.485 per mile for use of a private automobile while in the performance of Committee work. The mileage allowance shall be increased or decreased to reflect the same payment as that of International Officers.

ARTICLE 12

SECTION 1. These by-laws further provide the following:
  1. The General Chairperson is authorized to purchase all necessary office equipment and replace it when, in his/her estimation, same is warranted, provided sufficient funds are available in the General Committee Fund. (Authorized by the 1975 Full General Committee)
  2. The General Chairperson is authorized to purchase all necessary supplies, etc., for proper maintenance of the Committee office. He/she shall interview, hire and set salaries for employees necessary to conduct the affairs of the office.
  3. The General Chairperson will personally contact new Local Chairpersons within three months for the purpose of instructions and indoctrination. (Authorized by the 1963 Full General Committee)
  4. The General Chairperson is authorized to allow one (1) Local Chairperson / Vice Local Chairperson per Local a maxium of three (3) Committee days and three (3) days per diem, where applicable, for attending a State or Regional meeting wherein such meeting involves their Local, providing that funds are available in the General Committee Fund.
  5. Members of the Full General Committee will be allowed $7.50 when performing Committee work when returning home on date the service is rendered.
ARTICLE 13

SECTION 1. The following allowance shall be made to Local Chairpersons for going to and returning from the meetings of the General Committee of Adjustment, or special assignments thereof:
  1. If departing his/her home prior to 12:00 (Noon) or arriving back to his/her home after 12:00 (Noon), a Committee day and a per diem day are payable.
  2. In addition, the Local Chairperson will be allowed actual transportation expense upon presentation of a receipted statement.
  3. An allowance of $0.485 cents per mile will be paid to the Local Chairperson using his/her personal automobile via the most direct route from his/her home to the meeting site. The mileage allowance shall be increased or decreased to reflect the same payment as that of International Officers.
  4. If the Local Chairperson loses time from his/her regular assignment before leaving home, or after returning to his/her home, he/she will be allowed a Committee day for each day lost. The Local Chairperson must provide documentation of the lost time day(s).
  5. All Local Chairpersons of the Full General Committee and elected officers of said Committee will have protection issued by the United Transportation Union Insurance Association under Plan No. 804. The cost of this protection will be disbursed from the Full General Committee Fund on a quarterly basis.
ARTICLE 14

SECTION 1. The by-laws referred to herein may be amended by a majority vote of all members holding a seat in the Full General Committee at the regular meeting of the Committee or by mail vote.

SECTION 2. One copy of these by-laws will be furnished to each Local Chairperson and one copy to be furnished to the Secretary of each Local under the jurisdiction of the General Committee.

SECTION 3. It is understood that nothing in these by-laws shall be in conflict with the International Constitution of the United Transportation Union.

SECTION 4. Any matters not otherwise provided for herein shall be governed by the UTU Constitution.

SECTION 5. The by-laws to become effective immediately upon approval of the majority of members of the Full General Committee and subject to the approval of the International President of the United Transportation Union.

ARTICLE 15

SECTION 1. The working hours of the Full General Committee will be the first order of business when convened. The parliamentary order of the Full General Committee shall be under "Robert's Rules of Order".
Note: Election of Officers will not be held until all other business has been transacted by the Full General Committee.

Approved by majority vote of the Full General Committee of Adjustment, C&NW (Proper), this 23 day of January, 2007, and as amended by the General Committee of Adjustment while in session on January 23, 2007.


Michael J. Reedy
General Chairperson
Jerry L. Kalbfell
Vice General Chairperson
Dave Paray
Vice General Chairperson
Robert J. Alba
Vice General Chairperson
Roger Wilhelmi
Vice General Chairperson
Steve Staley
Secretary