FOR RELEASE
Contact: Dennis Watson
10/11/2001 (Thursday)
(202) 565-1596
No. 01-48
FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
www.stb.gov


Surface Transportation Board Grants Voluntary Withdrawal of "TCU'S" Petition Seeking Clarification of Board-Imposed Enhanced Labor Protection for "Norfolk Southern’s" Hollidaysburg, PA, Car-Shop Employees


Surface Transportation Board (Board) Chairman Linda J. Morgan announced today that the Board's Secretary has issued, at the request of the Transportation•Communications International Union (TCU), a decision dismissing a TCU petition asking the Board to clarify certain details relative to the enhanced labor protection the Board recently imposed for employees of the Norfolk Southern Corporation and the Norfolk Southern Railway Company's (collectively, "NS") Hollidaysburg Car Shops (HCS), located near Altoona, Pennsylvania. The dismissal request was based on the parties' private resolution of the matters raised in the TCU petition.



In its September 19, 2001 decision in this matter (see Surface Transportation Board "News" release No. 01-44 issued that date), the Board determined that it would not order NS to keep open the HCS beyond October 1, 2001, but it imposed conditions, including enhanced labor protection for HCS employees, should NS proceed to close the shops. By a petition filed with the Board on September 24, 2001, the TCU asked the Board to clarify certain details relative to the enhanced labor protection the Board had imposed at the HCS. NS and TCU subsequently began discussions regarding questions raised in the petition.



By a filing made on October 5, 2001, TCU advised the Board that it is seeking to withdraw its petition for clarification because the parties have resolved, on their own, the matters raised in its petition. Consistent with the Board's policy favoring private-sector dispute resolution, the decision issued today allows withdrawal of the petition and dismisses the matter.



Today's decision, Decision No. 201, was issued by the Board's Secretary in the proceeding entitled CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company--Control and Operating Leases/Agreements--Conrail Inc. and Consolidated Rail Corporation, STB Finance Docket No. 33388. A printed copy of the decision is available for a fee by contacting D~ 2 D~ Legal, Room 405, 1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 293-7776, or via http://Da_To_Da@Hotmail.com. The decision is also available for viewing and downloading via the Board's website at http://www.stb.dot.gov.



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