Journalists

One of the objectives of this website is to provide resources for the media to facilitate full and factual coverage of arbitration in the workplace.  We offer the following tools:

ARBITRATION BASICS provides a basic understanding of how arbitration works and how arbitrators decide cases.

PRESS CONTACTS contains lists of experts and arbitrators who may be available to discuss current events involving arbitration and/or labor relations matters and who are available to educate generally or to comment about a particular situation. Their opinions are solely those of the individuals and do not reflect the position of the National Academy of Arbitrators or the University of Missouri Law School and its Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution.

It should be understood that, for various ethical reasons, an arbitrator presiding over a case is not able to comment on his or her decisions in most situations . Other arbitrators may be able to discuss the general topic involved, such as what factors arbitrators look at in discipline cases. It should also be appreciated that arbitrator’s decisions are based on evidentiary hearings that involve multiple witnesses as well as hours and sometimes days of testimony. The best starting point, if possible, is to read the decision.

JOURNALIST FAQ’s  lists questions that we anticipate media members may have. More general FAQs  appear in the “Public Section” and in ARBITRATION 101.

MODEL REPORTING ON ARBITRATION  links to actual news articles that might be of help to reporters writing about arbitration.  The news articles showcased provide what we believe is a balanced and complete description of various aspects of the arbitration process.

COPIES OF ARBITRATION DECISIONS. Attempts to obtain copies of written arbitration decisions should be directed to the parties to the dispute. Generally speaking, arbitration decisions are private records, and the arbitrator is constrained in releasing them. Some decisions in the public sector are protected as personnel matters, while other decisions are treated as public records.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ARBITRATION AND ARBITRATORS

HOW ARBITRATORS DECIDE DISCIPLINE is a general description of how discipline cases of employees are decided. More advanced treatment can be accessed in the PROFESSIONALS section.