Labor Arbitration Under Fire

Labor arbitration was once seen as an integral part of bargaining and as a pioneering effort to create shop floor justice. But the decline of unions in status and power has raised profound questions about the future of labor arbitration. While labor unions seek justice for twenty-two million workers covered by collective bargaining, arbitration of employment disputes in the non-unionized sectors of the economy is on the increase, with arbitration procedures promulgated by the employer substituting for more expensive litigation. Moreover, arbitration may find a new role among unrepresented employees as the obligation to justify discharges is more widely adopted. This volume chronicles the development of labor arbitration, analyzes the paths it is now following, and suggests what the future may hold under changing conditions.