Labor Arbitration in the News

An adverse arbitration award on a one day suspension has apparently led the Worcester, County Mass Sheriff to seek to end arbitration. Worcester Telegram & Gazette - telegram.com - Union, sheriff locked in strife####. The president of New England PBA Local 550 had been suspended for claimed abuse of sick leave. Arbitrator Sarah Kerr Garraty overturned the one day suspension, concluding that the sheriff’s office had failed to make clear what the applicable standards were. The Sheriff criticized the decision and announced that he will seek to eliminate arbitration from future contracts.

 The US Postal Service is seeking to overturn an arbitration award issued by Hamah King. Postal Service sues union over lockers | ThisweekLive. The award requires the Postal Service to install larger lockers at its processing and distribution facility in Eagan, Minn. Employees had complained that the lockers were smaller than those in their former facility and were not large enough to accommodate their winter gear. Arbitrator King ordered the Postal Service to install lockers at least as large as at the facility the new center replaced.

Finding the Company’s argument that progressive discipline didn’t exist under a Teamsters contract “inexplicable”, an arbitrator ordered the reinstatement with back pay of a thirty year pharmacist. 30-Year Osco Pharmacist reinstated with $150,000. in Back Pay

Arbitrator Stanley Michelstetter upheld the termination of one employee but reversed the discipline imposed on two others for their handling of “scrap” wood and the alleged misuse of time. HALSTEAD WINS REINSTATEMENT OF AFSCME EMPLOYEE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT ARBITRATION A copy of Arbitrator Michelstetter’s award can be found here.