Originally from:

Journal of American Arbitration (JAA) - Vol. 6, No. 1

Preview Page

ARTICLES

When Is a Group Grievance Really a Group
Grievance? The Arbitrator’s Role in
Interpreting a Collective Bargaining
Agreement in City of Fostoria v. Ohio
Patrolmen’s Benevolent Ass’n
By Jeff Lawrence

I. OVERVIEW
The dispute began when the City of Fostoria police, reacting
to budgetary concerns, released three full-time dispatchers from
their staff on February 1, 2002.1 One of the dispatchers, Louanne
Grine (Grine), filed two grievances against the City of Fostoria.2
Grine argued that the city’s stop-gap solution—using the
patrolmen on duty as dispatchers—violated Section 2, Article 10 of
the parties’ collective-bargaining agreement (CBA).3 That section
stipulated that if there were a reduction in workforce due to a lack
of funds, patrol officers could be assigned to dispatcher duties for
no more than four hours per shift.4 Grine also filed a complaint