Plumbers & Pipefitters, Local 367 v. Municipality of Anchorage

OPINION

A union and a municipality entered into collective bargaining to renew the union’s expiring contract. When negotiations broke down, the parties entered into arbitration, but the arbitrator’s proposed decision failed to garner the necessary municipal assembly votes to become binding on the parties. Under the municipality’s labor ordinances, the assembly’s failure to approve the arbitrator’s decision resulted in an impasse, with each party given a remedy: the municipality could implement its last best offer presented at arbitration, and the union could go on strike. However, the union’s…