Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 9, 1990 TAG: 9004090407
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
U.S. District Court Judge James Turk of Roanoke set a hearing for April 16 on NW's request for an injunction against the union to prevent a strike.
In a complaint filed with Turk Friday, the NW claimed the union was going to strike the railroad Sunday morning by setting up picket lines in Norfolk and in the company's western operating regions.
The NW claimed that Joe Pugh, the union's general chairman based in Roanoke, had advised the railroad that a strike would be called. Pugh, who was contacted this morning, disputes that claim.
"What I told them was I was going to do what I had to do," Pugh said.
The dispute centers on the NW's assignment of supervisors to do minor repairs when problems are found during federally required track inspections. The railroad said it has historically assigned supervisors to perform such work.
The inspection trips in the past included a foreman and laborer, both union members, with a supervisor occasionally accompanying them, Pugh said. On Feb. 5, the railroad began assigning a supervisor to work in place of the laborer, he said.
"A supervisor was taking the place of a laborer; the dictionary said supervisors are to supervise the work, not to perform it," Pugh said.
Pugh said he had talked with NW but was unsuccessful in resolving the dispute. About 40 union laborers are affected, he said.
Listed as defendants in NW's complaint are the union; Pugh; R.L. Taylor, another union general chairman; and G.N. Zeh, the union's president. Turk ordered them to take all steps in their power to prevent a strike.
by CNB