The Kinds of Cases I Get
By the Numbers
I keep pretty good records of my cases and I thought I would give you a snapshot of the kinds of cases I get, and where I get them from. I don’t know whether my caseload is heavier or lighter than other arbitrators; it’s probably heavier than some and lighter than others. Let’s dig into the numbers.
As of last Friday, I currently have 55 open cases in 2025. I have closed 40 cases this year. For some of those, most of the work was done in 2024. Let me talk about the open cases first.
Of the 55 cases that are open, 25 came from a panel, meaning that the parties have selected me to hear cases on a regular basis or have put my name in their CBA. Twenty-seven (27) cases were ad hoc, meaning the parties agreed to use me without relying on a roster, or I don’t know how they selected me. Three (3) cases were appointed by Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. I am taking myself off that roster so I don’t expect to get many more from that source.
There are twenty-nine (29) open cases where I know the topic of the case. I have fourteen (14) open cases involving a contract dispute and fifteen (15) discipline cases. I think this is a more contract-heavy caseload than usual. Notably, of the twenty-six (26) cases where I know the topic (some settle before I learn the topic), nine (9) are contract disputes and seventeen (17) are disciplinary. Maybe contract cases settle more often?
Of the forty closed cases, eight were cancelled before the hearing and I don’t know why. In nineteen cases, the parties informed me that they had settled and in two cases, the union told me they were withdrawing the grievance. One was held in abeyance for so long, I just closed it. Out of forty cases, only ten were completed! You can understand why cancellation fees are so important to arbitrators. It would be difficult to sustain a career on 10 cases in five months for our sole income.
Not all of those cases resulted in a decision, either. Of those ten, four were expedited hearing cases, two were trainings (at the Labor Arbitration Institute), and one was a card check.
I’ll provide year-end data in December. I thought readers might be curious about my caseload. Any questions?