Opinion ID: 539929
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Partiality

Text: 21 The burden of proving facts which would establish a reasonable impression of partiality rests squarely on the party challenging the award. Kinney, 756 F.2d at 745; see also Toyota of Berkeley v. Automobile Salesmen's Union, Local 1095, 834 F.2d 751, 755 (9th Cir.1987), cert. denied, 486 U.S. 1043, 108 S.Ct. 2036, 100 L.Ed.2d 620, recalled and amended on other grounds, 856 F.2d 1572 (1988). The party alleging evident partiality must establish specific facts which indicate improper motives on the part of the Board. The appearance of impropriety, standing alone, is insufficient. Kinney, 756 F.2d at 746; see Toyota, 834 F.2d at 755. 22 Jason claims that the following factors show the NJAB panel's partiality: (1) the Miami location, (2) the brief advance notice of the hearing, (3) the fact that the NJAB board was made up of Jason's competitors and the union, (4) the union's possible decertification, and (5) the lack of participation by Jason. 23 Jason, however, agreed to the procedures set forth in the collective bargaining agreement. When the parties have agreed upon a particular method of dispute resolution, it should generally be presumed fair. Kinney, 756 F.2d at 746. By signing the agreement, Jason effectively consented to the NJAB arbitration wherever and whenever the next hearing was to convene. Jason also knew of the NJAB procedures and interest prior to signing the collective bargaining agreement. Jason fails to specify any new bias or partiality on the part of the panel. See id. (holding party bound even though the management representatives on the board were owners of companies that were union contractors in the same geographic area and had a pecuniary interest in the outcome that was adverse to Kinney). 24 Jason's nonparticipation argument also fails. Under a collective bargaining agreement specifically providing for designation of an arbitrator without the participation of both parties, an arbitrator may issue an enforceable default award when one party fails to attend the hearing. Toyota, 834 F.2d at 754. As for Jason's contention that the pendency of the NJAB decertification proceeding should have precluded, or at least postponed arbitration, we reject this argument for the reasons set forth hereafter in Part E of this opinion. 25 We conclude that Jason did not establish facts that create a reasonable impression of partiality. See Kinney, 756 F.2d at 745.