ARBITRATED PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES GRIEVANCES: ANALYSIS AND IMPLICATIONS

MARSHA KATZ AND HELEN LAVAN

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DOI: 10.2190/H381-LULK-GNNN-YF94

Abstract

This is a comprehensive study of 1,318 public sector grievance arbitration cases. Findings of note include that case outcomes are affected by the following case characteristics: being in the Federal sector, being a professional, having multiple grievants, having a non-employee involved, whether individual rights were involved, being represented by a primarily public sector union, and off-the-job behavior. Recommendations for administrators in the public sector include: 1) making efforts to avoid some of the grievances or attempting to settle them at lower levels; 2) attempting to improve communications; 3) engaging in training and various role clarification techniques; 4) analyzing the performance evaluation format and how the evaluation interviews are conducted; 5) clarifying certain contract provisions, especially when negotiating with non-public sector unions; and 6) reconsidering the conditions under which off-the -job cases are filed. Given the employer win rate of 42.6 percent (with an additional 14.1 percent of the cases split) over the large number of cases included in this sample, it would seem advisable to settle employee grievances at lower stages in the grievance process.

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