National Academy of Arbitrators

The National Academy of Arbitrators (NAA) is a professional and honorary organization of labor and employment arbitrators in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1947, it sets membership standards, supports professional development through conferences and publications, and participates in the development of arbitration practice, including filing amicus curiae briefs in selected cases. The NAA is incorporated as a 501(c)(6) .[1][2][3]

Admission Standards and Membership

Admission to the Academy is selective, with scholars making significant contributions to labor law and relations attaining membership.[4] The NAA’s rules prohibit members from serving as advocates or consultants in labor disputes, associating with firms performing such functions, or acting as expert witnesses on behalf of labor or management.[5]

Purposes and Collaborations

Beyond personal advocacy, the NAA actively participates as an amicus curiae in appellate litigation in the United States and Canada, addressing issues influencing the integrity of arbitration.[6][7] Collaborations with various organizations and institutions in the labor-management and employment relations field have led to the establishment of a "due process protocol for arbitration", condemning the use of mandatory pre-dispute arbitration agreements outside of the collective bargaining agreement context.[7]

National Academy of Arbitrators' Core Purposes

  • Establishing and Fostering Standards: Setting the highest standards of integrity, competence, honor, and character among those engaged in the arbitration of labor-management and other workplace disputes on a professional basis
  • Code of Professional Responsibility: Ensuring acceptance and adherence to the Code of Professional Responsibility for Arbitrators of Labor-Management Disputes of the NAA, American Arbitration Association, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, or of any amendments or changes which may be hereafter made thereto
  • Promoting Understanding: Encouraging the study and understanding of labor-management and other workplace dispute arbitration
  • Encouraging Association: Fostering friendly association among arbitration professionals
  • Collaboration for Advancement: Cooperating with organizations interested in labor-management and employment relations.
  • Upholding the National Academy of Arbitrators' Constitution, Article II): Promoting high standards of integrity and competence in labor-management dispute arbitration, encouraging adherence to a specified Code of Professional Responsibility, fostering understanding of dispute resolution procedures, and facilitating collaboration within the profession

Educational Initiatives and Annual Meetings

While not an agency for arbitration selection or appointment, the NAA sponsors initiatives aimed at improving the understanding of arbitration as a dispute resolution method. It conducts an annual national convention that is open to non-members,[8] and regional meetings, offering educational opportunities to both members and non-members on topics relevant to labor relations, labor arbitration, and legal ethics.

National Academy of Arbitrators Research and Education Foundation (NAA-REF)

Established in 1985, the National Academy of Arbitrators Research and Education Foundation (NAA-REF) focuses on supporting research, training, and education in labor and employment dispute resolution. It sponsors projects studying grievance procedures, arbitration processes, and the impact of law on these methods. REF also supports educational programs, publications, and projects promoting integrity and competence in arbitration and mediation.

Arbitration Info Website

The NAA, in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri School of Law, created the Arbitration Info website, intended as a neutral and comprehensive source providing information about arbitration in the workplace.[9] This initiative aims to be an educational resource for the public and journalists, refraining from generating business for specific arbitrators or arbitration practice groups. The website provides resources for the media such as a listing of experts and arbitrators who can discuss current events involving arbitration and/or labor relations matters and who are able to educate generally or to comment on a particular situation.[10] The website also houses news articles and commentary regarding arbitration.[11]

Prominent Publications and Resources.

For years, the Academy published its proceedings through the Bureau of National Affairs. These proceedings have been cited as influential commentary and research on arbitration in labor management relations and are available online. See,

Additionally, the NAA has produced two treaties - "The Common Law of the Workplace: The Views of Arbitrators," edited by Theodore J. St. Antoine,[12] and "Fifty Years in the World of Work," edited by Gladys W. Gruenberg, Joyce M. Najita, and Dennis R. Nolan.[13]

These books are not official NAA Policy or viewpoint, but present scholarly articles written with differing viewpoints.[14] In fact, the arbitrators disagree with one another on some major points. As the title reflects, there is a difference of opinion as to whether there is a "common law of the shop." Upon careful reading, these analyses are tied to the record made before the arbitrator, and the unique elements of the contracts which the arbitrator is trying to apply and interpret. Black letter principles are followed by analytical examples. First-line arbitrators are not applying a monolithic "The law of the shop," but are instead trying to apply "The law of a shop.' The book gives some useful insight into how individual arbitration cases are really decided by arbitrators.[15]

The Academy’s official website contains many resources including the Academy's History, Officers and Committees, Constitution and By-Laws, Membership Guidelines, a Directory of Members with contact information, Regional Activities,[16] as well as future meeting notices and registration information.[17]

Bibliography

  • Antoine, Theodore, ed. (2005) [1998]. The Common Law of the Workplace: The Views of Arbitrators (PDF) (2nd ed.). Washington D.C.: Bureau of National Affairs. ISBN 1-57018-540-9. downloadable book.

Further reading

  • Bornstein, Tim; Gosline, Ann; Greenbaum, Marc, Eds. (1995). Labor and Employment Arbitration (Print) (2nd ed.). New York, NY: LexisNexis/Matthew Bender. ISBN 9780820514437.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • May, Kenneth, Ed.; Elkouri, Frank; Elkouri, Edna Asper (2012). Elkouri & Elkouri, How Arbitration Works (7th ed.). Washington, D.C.: BNA. ISBN 9781617460944.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • United Steelworkers of America (1981) [1960]. Steelworkers Handbook on Arbitration Decisions. Pittsburgh, Pa. (5 Gateway Center, Pittsburgh 15222): Pike and Fischer, Inc. p. 1231. OL 3054540M.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link) at Open Library
  • United Steelworkers of America (1960). Steelworkers handbook on arbitration decisions 1960 ed. Pittsburgh, Pa. (5 Gateway Center, Pittsburgh 15222): Pike and Fischer, Inc. p. 525. OCLC 608535624.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)

See also

References

  1. ^ Malin, Martin H.; Oldham, James; St. Antoine, Ted (September 26, 2015). "A Brief Overview and Historical Background on Labor and Employment Arbitration". National Academy of Arbitrators, University of Missouri School of Law. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  2. ^ Gladys Gruenberg, Joyce Najita & Dennis Nolan, THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ARBITRATORS: FIFTY YEARS IN THE WORLD OF WORK 26 (1997)
  3. ^ "NAARB - National Academy Of Arbitrators Public-Interest Firm Profile, Jobs | LawCrossing.com". www.lawcrossing.com. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  4. ^ Alkon, C. (2007). Women labor arbitrators: Women members of the National Academy of Arbitrators speak about the barriers of entry into the field. Appalachian Journal of Law, 6(2), 195‑217. Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.tamu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=facscholar
  5. ^ "ROBYN MORGAN v. SUNDANCE, INC., Amicus Brief BRIEF FOR AMICUS CURIAE THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ARBITRATORS IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONER" (PDF).
  6. ^ Oldham, J. (2008, June 27). Brief Amicus Curiae of the National Academy of Arbitrators in Support of Respondents, 14 Penn Plaza v. Pyett, No. 07‑581 (U.S.) [Court brief]. Georgetown University Law Center. https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=scb
  7. ^ a b "National Academy of Arbitrators". naarb.org. Archived from the original on 2017-11-26. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  8. ^ National Academy of Arbitrators, Upcoming meetings.
  9. ^ "Arbitration Basics". Arbitration Info. 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  10. ^ "Home". Arbitration Info. 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  11. ^ "Home". Arbitration Info. 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  12. ^ The common law of the workplace : the views of arbitrators. Internet Archive. Washington, DC : Bureau of National Affairs. 2005. ISBN 978-1-57018-540-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  13. ^ Gruenberg, Gladys W. (1998). Fifty years in the world of work. Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of National Affairs. ISBN 978-1-57018-119-1.
  14. ^ Gitelman, H. R. (2010). The evolution of labor arbitration. DePaul Law Review, 60(2), 357–395. Retrieved from https://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3552&context=law-review
  15. ^ St. Antoine, Theodore J.; National Academy of Arbitrators, eds. (2005). The common law of the workplace: the views of arbitrators (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Bureau of National Affairs. ISBN 978-1-57018-540-3.
  16. ^ "Regional Activities – NAARB". Retrieved 2025-10-29.
  17. ^ "Meetings – NAARB". Retrieved 2025-10-29.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.