NCJ Number
94902
Journal
Industrial Relations Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1982) Pages: 129-148
Date Published
1982
Length
20 pages
Annotation
To investigate the dynamics of impasse resolution alternatives, 271 disputes involving schools and municipal and county governments that used mediation and factfinding during the first 5 years of bargaining under the Iowa Public Employment Relations Act were studied.
Abstract
Of These cases, 85 advanced to tri-offer final arbitration (FAO); because 9 lacked either a factfinding or arbitration report, the study sample was reduced to 76 cases. For these, 257 separate issues were presented to FAO. A compromise settlement was recommended for 89 percent of the issues; the factfinder most frequently endorsed the employer's impasse position. For multiple-issue cases, the results show no tendency to split the number of recommendations favoring each party. In contrast, the within-case recommendations clearly indicate that the employers' positions were favored. The distribution among union, employer, and compromise recommendations on both the issue and within-case levels showed no significant pattern over the 5-year period. No overwhelming learning effect appeared for the limited number of cases that used tri-offer arbitration more than once. Study data support two main conclusions: (1) limited position modification occurs on either party's part between the factfinding and arbitration steps of the impasse procedure; and (2) arbitrators affirm the prior neutral's recommendation unless a compelling reason exists to do otherwise. Five tables are included.