ILRLR 6020

The Practice of Labor Arbitration

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2015-2016.

This course is designed to be an advanced seminar for graduate and undergraduate students who have a serious interest in the practice and profession of labor arbitration. Classroom discussions, group exercise and readings will focus on the role of the labor arbitrator in the public and private sectors. During the first part of the course, topics will include the backgrounds, training, and certifications needed to establish a labor arbitration practice. In addition to focusing on how arbitrators manage hearings, the course will also cover the institutional and administrative arrangements that support the use of labor arbitration. How arbitrators are admitted to rosters and receive appointments from such "providers" as the American Arbitration Association, the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service, the New York State Public Employment Relations Board, the Cornell's ADR Services, etc.) will be examined. The rules used by Cornell and other providers will also be discussed.  The first day will conclude with a labor arbitration exercise and faculty debriefing. During the next segments of the course, students will examine contemporary practice issues such as discovery, subpoenas, pre-hearing briefs, and problems involving availability of witnesses. Detailed coverage of the standards of contract interpretation, discipline and the role of evidence will be provided. Throughout the course, role-plays and other assignments will test students' understanding of the critical role of the arbitrator in deciding labor disputes. All case examples will be drawn from actual disputes successfully arbitrated by the course's instructor. Course requirements include a writing assignment assessing labor arbitration as a technique for resolving workplace disputes between employers and unions. Required reading assignments will be drawn from the specialized literature on arbitration and dispute resolution.

When Offered Fall, spring.

View Enrollment Information