Opinion ID: 2038043
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: One-Man Operation

Text: Agreement between Division 26, Amalgamated Association of Street, Electric Railway and Motor Coach Employees of America, and the department of street railways, city of Detroit. The purpose of the department of street railways is to furnish safe and efficient transportation to the residents of metropolitan Detroit. To that end it is improving its system of acquiring modern new vehicles, with the purpose of converting to an eventual all rubber-tired operation except on Woodward avenue or on future rapid transit lines. During the transition, in order to provide job security for those employees who are incapable of operating rubber-tired vehicles, the department proposes to convert a maximum of 200 Peter Witt streetcars to be operated on the various rail lines until complete conversion from rail to rubber-tired operation is made. The union agrees to operate these Peter Witt cars, converted to 1-man operation, subject to the following to which the department agrees: 1. A maximum of 200 Peter Witt cars will be converted to 1-man operation. 2. Additional lines will be converted to 1-man operation only when a number of rail men equal to that which would be eliminated by 1-man operation, on the line scheduled for conversion to 1-man operation, have been retired or separated from service. 3. Any employee qualified for rail operation only who for physical reasons, or any such employee having a minimum of 15 years of service with the department who by reason of his operating record is disqualified from further rail or coach operation will, if he so desires, be placed in other work by the department at the established rate of pay for the classification. He will be given the opportunity of continuing employment until he has completed 25 years of city service, or has reached the age of 60, whichever occurs first. 4. The general superintendent of transportation will meet with any delegated representative of the union to review the record of any transportation equipment operator, not included in section 3 above, who is at present disqualified from 1-man rail or coach operation. Any of these who indicate possibilities of becoming successful operators will be given the opportunity of requalifying.