VIII.      FAMILIARIZATION  

A.   Engineers involved in the consolidation of the Portland Hub Zones 2 and 3 whose assignments require performance of duties on a geographic territory not familiar to them will be given full cooperation, assistance and guidance in order that their familiarization shall be accomplished as quickly as possible. Engineers will not be required to lose time or "ride the road" on their own time in order to qualify on the new territory.  

B.            Engineers will be provided with a sufficient number of familiarization trips in order to become familiar with the new territory. Issues concerning individual qualification shall be handled with local operating officers. The parties recognize that different terrain and train tonnage will impact the number of familiarization trips necessary. If disputes occur under this Article, they will be expeditiously addressed by the Director - Labor Relations and General Chairman.  

C.       It is understood that familiarization required to implement the merger consolidations herein will be accomplished by calling a qualified engineer (or Manager - Operating Practices) to work with an engineer called for service on a geographical territory not familiar to him or her. Engineers who work their assignment accompanied by an engineer taking a familiarization trip in connection with the implementation of this Agreement shall be paid twenty‑eight dollars ($28.00) in addition to all other earnings for that tour of duty. This payment shall not be used to offset extra board guarantee payments. The provisions of 3 (a) and (b) Training Conditions of the System Instructor Engineer Agreement shall apply to the regular engineer when the engineer taking the familiarization trip operates the locomotive.  

NOTE 1:              The $28.00 payment set forth in Paragraph C, above, made to engineers working their assignment accompanied by an engineer taking a familiarization trip shall apply for a period of one (1) year, commencing with the implementation of this Agreement. Upon expiration of this one-year period, existing agreement rules and/or practices shall govern for payments, if any, to engineers             accompanied by an engineer taking a familiarization trip.  

NOTE 2:             Prior to implementation, Carrier may begin familiarization trips, where necessary, to "pre-qualify" engineers. Likewise, Carrier may bulletin and assign (to be effective on implementation day) employees prior to implementation so employees will be in place on implementation day. If Carrier initiates such an effort to "pre-qualify" engineers, the $28.00 payment set forth in Paragraph C, above, will be paid to eligible engineers who are accompanied by an engineer taking a familiarization trip.