Illinois Bell Telephone Company v. IBEW, Local 21

Case Updates

NCLC urged the Supreme Court to review a Seventh Circuit decision that judicially imposes “interest arbitration” into most collective bargaining agreements where issues not resolved by the parties through bargaining could be imposed by an arbitrator. In its brief, NCLC argued that federal policy favors arbitration. In the collective bargaining agreement setting, however, without the benefit of contractually bargained for arbitration limitations, every action of an employer could be challenged. At the very core of labor grievance arbitration provisions is the parties’ desire to obtain some stability and predictability in industrial operations. If left in place, the Seventh Circuit decision jeopardizes the careful balance necessary to maintain industrial peace and economic stability.