Opinion ID: 2510533
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The arbitrations

Text: Under the CBA, arbitrations were to be conducted by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services (FMCS). As such, the arbitrations would be governed by FMCS rules, and the City and the NLVPOA were to select a mutually-agreed-upon arbitrator from a panel provided by the FMCS. The parties mutually selected Matthew Goldberg for Armstrong's arbitration. However, the parties disagreed on an arbitrator for Thomas's arbitration, and eventually the district court ordered the parties to use Goldberg for Thomas's arbitration as well. In November 2001, Goldberg had a teleconference with the parties to schedule the arbitrations. Thomas's arbitration was scheduled for seven days in May 2002, and Armstrong's arbitration was scheduled for eight days in June 2002. During the teleconference, the parties asked Goldberg to provide them with a sample of discharge decisions he had written. Goldberg then informed the parties that he had arbitrated a case for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (Metro) the previous year. A few days after the teleconference, per Thomas and Armstrong's request, Goldberg sent copies of the two decisions he had issued in law enforcement cases, which included the arbitration he referenced during the teleconference. That arbitration was between Metro and its union, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Police Protective Association (PPA). Goldberg had found in favor of Metro, determining that Metro had just cause to terminate the officer. A few months later, Goldberg held a discovery conference with the parties. During this conference, Goldberg again referenced his arbitration work with Metro, stating that he was familiar with the location of the City's counsel's office because he had recently been in the area arbitrating for Metro. Thomas's arbitration hearing was conducted in May 2002 and consisted of twenty-eight witnesses and six volumes of exhibits. In January 2003, Goldberg issued a 101-page Arbitrator's Opinion and Award, where he concluded that the City had just cause to terminate Thomas and that Thomas's grievance was denied. Armstrong's arbitration hearing was conducted in June 2002 and consisted of twenty-one witnesses and one volume of exhibits. In June 2003, Goldberg issued an 86-page Arbitrator's Opinion and Award, where he concluded that the City had just cause to terminate Armstrong and that Armstrong's grievance was denied. In March 2003, Thomas called the FMCS to complain about Goldberg's service as his arbitrator. The FMCS then informed Thomas that Goldberg served as a neutral arbitrator on a permanent panel (Metro/PPA/PMSA panel) of arbitrators for Metro and its unions, the PPA, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Manager's and Supervisor's Association (PMSA). Goldberg was appointed as a neutral arbitrator to the Metro/PPA/PMSA panel in January 2002. However, the version of Goldberg's résumé Thomas and Armstrong received did not disclose the panel membership, and Goldberg did not otherwise disclose his panel membership to the parties. In fact, Goldberg had three versions of his résuméone for the FMCS, one for the American Arbitration Association, and one for the National Mediation Board. Only the National Mediation Board résumé disclosed any panel memberships. Thomas and Armstrong moved separately to vacate their arbitration awards. Thomas and Armstrong argued essentially the same grounds for vacatur, arguing that under NRS 38.145 the arbitration awards should be vacated because: (1) Goldberg failed to disclose his membership as a permanent arbitrator on Metro's labor arbitration panels thus demonstrating evident partiality, (2) Goldberg was unprofessional and coercive in his handling of payment of arbitration fees, (3) Goldberg engaged in ex-parte contact with the City's attorney, and (4) there were numerous procedural and evidentiary errors. They also argued that the awards should be vacated for manifest disregard of the law. The district court granted Thomas's motion to vacate and denied the City's motion to confirm the arbitration award without making any specific findings of fact or conclusions of law. Prior to his motion hearing, Armstrong's case was transferred to a different district court judge. The second district court judge vacated Armstrong's award, determining that Goldberg had a duty to disclose the panel membership. The City appealed.