Town filed complain seeking to vacate labor arbitration award, determining that town had violated collective bargaining agreement with firefighters’ union by unilaterally increasing copayment amounts that union members paid for medical services under their health insurance plans.
The Superior Court Department confirmed the portion of the arbitration award compelling the parties to bargain collectively over changes to copayment rates, but vacated two remedial aspects of the award. Union appealed, The Appeals Court affirmed. Union applied for further appellate review.
The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts held that arbitrator did not exceed her authority by ordering town to restore prior rates of contribution and requiring restitution.