Office of the Attorney General v. Council 13, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees

OPINION

Chief Justice CAPPY.

In this appeal we are asked to determine whether the Commonwealth Court improperly vacated a labor arbitrator’s award rendered pursuant to the parties’ collective bargaining agreement and the Pennsylvania Public Employe Relations Act (“PERA”). 1 For the reasons more fully stated below, we reaffirm the deferential standard of review of grievance arbitration awards to be used by appellate courts under PERA; conclude that the Commonwealth Court improperly vacated the arbitrator’s award under that standard; and reinstate the award.

The underlying facts, as found by the…