Opinion ID: 2163453
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Summary of NLRB Deferral Policy

Text: In summary, the NLRB has exercised discretionary deferral both prior to and following the decision of the parties' arbitral tribunal. Spielberg and its progeny generally indicate that the board will defer to a prior arbitral award, provided: (1) the unfair labor practice dispute cognizable under the parties' collective bargaining agreement was presented to and considered by the arbitral tribunal; (2) the arbitral proceedings were fair and regular; (3) all parties to the arbitral proceedings agreed to be bound thereby; and (4) the decision of the arbitral tribunal was not clearly repugnant to the purposes and the policies of the NLRA. Collyer and its progeny generally indicate that the board will defer an alleged unfair labor practice charge to the parties' binding grievance-arbitration procedures memorialized in their collective bargaining agreement subject to Spielberg post-award review, provided: (1) a stable collective bargaining relationship exists between the parties; (2) the respondent is willing to resort to arbitration under a binding arbitration clause broad enough to embrace the dispute; and (3) the contract and its meaning are at the center of the dispute. [31] V. MERC'S POSITION ON THE DISCRETIONARY EXERCISE OF DEFERRAL AUTHORITY