Court Upholds Arbitrator’s Award On Leave And COVID Quarantine

Jacob Donley is a police officer em­ployed by the Village of West Salem in Wisconsin and is a member of the West Salem Police Association. In September 2020, Donley attended a work-related training event and was exposed to an individual who tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. As a result of this exposure, Donley’s police…

Town Counsel Goes Too Far In Communicating With Arbitration Panel

When New England PBA Local 20 and the Town of Chelmsford, Mas­sachusetts, could not reach agreement on a new contract, the dispute was sent to a tri-partite arbitration panel. The panel included labor representative Alan Andrews, management represen­tative Andrew Flanagan, and neutral arbitrator Beth Ann Wolfson. On December 11, 2018, Town Counsel attached a draft…

No Obligation Arbitrate Free Speech Claims

George Forbush is an officer with the Sparks Police Department in Nevada and is a member of the Sparks Police Protective Association. The Association’s contract with the City contains a disci­plinary clause providing: “No post-pro­bationary employee will be disciplined or discharged without just cause.” In 2020, Forbush posted a variety of comments from his personal…

Firefighter Arbitration Award Upheld As ‘Reasonably Debatable’

The collective bargaining agreement between Carteret, New Jersey and the Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association provides that senior firefighters in the Carteret Fire Department are entitled to acting captain’s pay whenever they assume the role of a fire captain. A dispute arose when the Borough of Carteret created the new position of lieutenant within the Fire…

Prevention Of ‘Prisoner Abuse’ Not Basis To Overturn Arbitrator’s Opinion

On May 1, 2018, York County, Pennsylvania Corrections Officers Marcial Baez and Graig Phillips were responsible for the custody and care of an inmate with mental health issues who had been placed on suicide prevention watch. The two verbally engaged in bantering with the inmate. They used profanity and slurs, taunted and antagonized the inmate,…

Costs Are Legitimate Reason Not To Arbitrate Grievance

The Sussex County PBA represents all corrections officers, sergeants, lieu­tenants, and captains employed by the Sheriff’s Office. Paul Liobe was a cor­rections officer with the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey and was president of the PBA. On July 25, 2019, Liobe filed a griev­ance alleging that the Sheriff’s Office failed to properly compensate…

Court Upholds Arbitrator’s Opinion Reinstating Officer

Andrew Kline is a police officer with the Township of Uwchlan in Pennsylvania. On October 26, 2018, Kline, Officer Warren Obenski and Sergeant David Balben responded to a domestic violence call. While at the caller’s residence, Obenski seized a black duffel bag on the suspicion that it contained illegal drugs. After arriving at the police…

Court Upholds Arbitrator’s Opinion Forbidding Civilianization Without Fire Union’s Consent

The City of Columbus, Ohio and Local 67 of the IAFF are parties to a collective bargaining agreement. On October 19, 2015, the City indicated that it had decided to civilianize 17 special assignments then filled by uniformed firefighters, including positions as coordinators in programs known as as Fitness, Special Events, Training, Community Relations and…

Only Union, Not Terminated Police Commissioner, Can Compel Arbitration

Matthew Nichols was the Deputy Police Commissioner for Warren, Michigan. On July 18, 2018, Nichols responded to a dispatch call regarding a suspected shoplifting and took an active role in arresting the suspects, one of whom later alleged that Nichols used excessive force in effectuating the arrest. After an internal investigation the Department terminated Nichols.…

Arbitrator Can Award More Than FLSA Requires

Local 1953 of the International Association of Firefighters represents the firefighters who work for Perkins Township in Ohio. When the parties were unable to reach agreement on a new contract the matter was referred to “binding conciliation,” the phrase Ohio uses to describe binding arbitration. When the Township challenged the Arbitrator’s award, the matter wound…

Arbitrator Can Consider Conduct Of Parties In Construing Contract Language

Pursuant to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement between Local 3111 of the IAFF and Anderson Township, Ohio, Lieutenant William Tillett received notice that disciplinary proceedings were being initiated against him because he had surrendered his fire-inspection certification. When the Department eventually demoted Tillett, Local 3111 challenged the demotion in arbitration. At the arbitration…

Unions Have ‘Great Discretion’ In Deciding Whether To Seek Arbitration

Jose F. Valencia sued the Santa Fe Police Officers Association for breach of duty of fair representation. Valencia requested that the Association challenge his termination for dishonesty in arbitration. The Association’s Board scheduled a meeting on February 16, 2010, to consider the request. Two Board members, the President and the former President, recused themselves from…

Officer’s Lawyer Required To Pay $66k In Fees To City

The Village of Orland Park, Illinois fired Officer Joseph McGreal after he spoke at a November 2009 Village board meeting. At the meeting, he suggested several solutions to a budgetary shortfall facing the Village. McGreal’s recommendations would have protected junior officers from layoffs by eliminating benefits enjoyed by more senior officers. McGreal believed that these…

Destruction Of Disciplinary Records Violates Public Policy

In 2011 and 2012, Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents officers in the Chicago Police Department, filed grievances seeking the destruction of disciplinary records older than five years. Section 8.4 of the Lodge’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) provides that “all disciplinary investigation files, disciplinary history card entries, Independent Police Review Authority…

Staffing Grievance Is Arbitrable

The Watertown Firefighters Association in New York filed a grievance contending that the City violated provisions in its labor agreement relating to minimum staffing levels for shifts and regular operations within the City of Watertown’s Fire Department. The City refused to proceed to arbitration, contending that the staffing clauses were “unenforceable job security provisions that…