Before an audience of personnel directors, municipal managers, and police and fire chiefs, Brown described the widely accepted principles of contract interpretation. When parties come before an arbitrator with a claim of a contract violation, an arbitrator will first compare the facts to the language. The arbitrator must first determine if the language is ambiguous or unambiguous. When the language is plain and unambiguous the arbitrator will go no further, but when the language is ambiguous, arbitrators will apply certain standards to aid in the interpretation of the language.
Specific language prevails over general language.
Words and phrases are given their commonly accepted meaning. Words will be judged in their context. If more than one reading is possible, an arbitrator will choose the one that gives all words and phrases meaning. The contract is to be construed as a whole and all provisions harmonized as much as possible. Contracts should be construed broadly rather than narrowly or technically.