Wyandot, Inc., Plaintiff/ Counter-Defendant-Appellee v. Local 227, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Defendant/counter-Plaintiff-Appellant

Union Worker Fired Despite Arbitrator's Reinstatement Order

This case involved a dispute between Wyandot, Inc. and Local 227 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union over an employee's termination. The union had successfully taken the firing to arbitration, and the arbitrator ordered that the worker be reinstated to their job. However, Wyandot refused to follow this order and challenged it in court.

The federal appeals court sided with the company and ruled that the arbitrator had overstepped their authority. The court found that the arbitrator ignored clear time limits that were written into the collective bargaining agreement between the company and union. Because the arbitrator failed to follow these specific contract terms, the court threw out the reinstatement order, meaning the employee remained fired.

This ruling matters for unionized workers because it shows that arbitrators must strictly follow the rules laid out in union contracts, even when making decisions that favor employees. Workers should understand that having a union contract provides important protections, but those protections only work when all parties - including arbitrators - follow the agreed-upon procedures and deadlines. Missing deadlines or procedural steps can invalidate otherwise favorable arbitration decisions.