Opinion ID: 1945205
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Role of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Text: At the time of the above described incident there existed between the defendant School Committee and the Teachers Association of the School District a collective bargaining agreement the terms of which purported to govern the rights of teachers. But at the hearing before the School Committee, the trial in Superior Court, and on the present appeal, plaintiff has neither sought arbitration nor requested that the statutory proceedings be stayed pending arbitration. The plaintiff's conduct belies her contention that the collective bargaining agreement provides the exclusive procedural route for teacher dismissal. Rather, plaintiff has attempted to invoke an asserted right to arbitration in the abstract so as to generally void the School Committee's action taken under § 473(4). But it appears that no court has stayed its judicial proceedings or ordered arbitration without a request from the party seeking relief that the matter be arbitrated. See Annot., 26 A.L.R.3d 604 (1969); Annot., 25 A.L.R.3d 1171 (1969). Here, plaintiff has spurned recourse to her claimed right to arbitration. Therefore, in this instance, we have no need to consider the role of an unexercised right of arbitration, if indeed such right existed.