STATE, DEPT. OF ENV. MGMT. v. Labor Bd.

**What Happened** The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management got into a dispute with a union representing its workers. The union believed the department had violated their contract and committed unfair labor practices. Instead of using the arbitration process spelled out in their contract, the union went directly to the state Labor Relations Board to file a complaint. **What the Court Decided** The Rhode Island Supreme Court sided with the department. The court ruled that the union had to use the arbitration process in their contract first before they could take their complaint to the Labor Relations Board. Since the union skipped this step, the court threw out the case entirely. The court said this was required under something called the "election of remedies doctrine." **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling is important because it shows that unions and workers must follow the dispute resolution procedures in their contracts before seeking help from government agencies. If your union contract includes arbitration for resolving workplace disputes, that process typically must be completed first. Workers should understand what procedures their contracts require and make sure their unions follow them properly, or they risk losing the ability to pursue their complaints through other channels.