The district court had vacated an arbitration award that had reinstated a terminated hospital employee under a collective bargaining agreement. The district court based its ruling on its interpretation of the CBA, which it believed did not authorize an arbitrator to modify the degree of discipline imposed on an employee. The Sixth Circuit reversed, holding that at best, the district court had adopted one of multiple reasonable interpretations of the CBA (another reasonable one being the interpretation of the arbitrator). Because the arbitrator was “arguably construing” the contract, and was not acting fraudulently or dishonestly, the district court should have refrained “from imposing [its] interpretation of the contract on the parties.” The Sixth Circuit reversed and reinstated the arbitration award. Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. v. Oakwood Hospital Employees Local 2568, Case No. 14-2155 (6th Cir. June 15, 2015).
This post written by Michael Wolgin.
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