Once the case has been reviewed the evidence has been assembled and evaluated and you know who your witnesses will be and what they will say, then your local will be in a position to decide whether to proceed with the case to arbitration or not. Knowing the strength of your case before the decision is made can avoid costly and expensive mistakes. If your case is weak, but the members know the boss acted unjustly or unfairly, an organizational response may be far more appropriate than taking the case to arbitration. It can be a lot more effective than arbitration. Top of Page Information for Workers Contents Hiring a Lawyer is Costly And Not Necessary Arbitration cases are conducted more informally than a court case.
Arbitration is much more like an appeal-level grievance meeting, only with a judge.
If the local can deal positively with the points outlined in this article, the case has a good chance to be a winner and any steward or local officer, with a little practice, can do a good job of presenting the union s case. Arbitrators are generally only interested in gathering the facts of the case. Most are not interested in the legal maneuvering done by lawyers. The UE legal department is available to the staff and local leadership for advice and help when needed. The arbitrator s daily fee is shared equally between the company and the union.