Opinion ID: 469047
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Postal Service's Argument in Favor of an Alternative

Text: Reading of the Contract is Meritless 31 Finally, we must reject the Postal Service's argument that the award does not draw its essence from the contract because the arbitrator did not adopt the alternative interpretation relied upon by the District Court. In particular, the trial court looked to Section 3 of Article 17 of the collective bargaining agreement, which provides that employees may request that a steward or Union representative be present during any interrogation. The Postal Service does not argue that the better interpretation of the contract rests on this section, but rather that the arbitrator failed to consider this section when construing the contract. If the arbitrator had rendered a judgment based on external legal sources, wholly without regard to the terms of the parties' contract, then the award could not be said to draw its essence from the contract. Such is not the case here. In the instant case, the arbitrator in his written opinion identified the pertinent contract provisions, including a provision which requires the Postal Service to act in accordance with applicable laws when discharging employees. Moreover, the arbitrator made clear that the issue was whether just cause existed--plainly a contract interpretation question. The arbitrator simply did not agree with the Postal Service's evaluation of which contract provisions were most relevant. The arbitrator's selection of pertinent contract provisions was itself an interpretation of the contract which this court has no authority to disturb. Therefore, we reject this argument by the Postal Service. 32