Willig, Williams & Davidson Attorney Discusses Arbitration for Collective Bargaining

Date: May 8, 2024

Event: National Academy of Arbitrators’ 77th Annual Meeting & Member Education Conference

Location: Boston Park Plaza, Boston, Massachusetts

On May 8, 2024, union lawyer Richard G. Poulson participated in a discussion entitled “Innovative Insights in Public and Private Sector Interest Arbitration for Collective Bargaining in the United States and Canada” during the National Academy of Arbitrators’ 77^th Annual Meeting & Member Education Conference. The session was moderated by labor arbitrator David M. Gaba, and other participants included Jonathan Downes of Zashin & Rich and labor arbitrators Juan Carlos Gonzalez and Norm Jesin.

The discussion focused on various considerations for arbitrators engaged in collective bargaining, such as analyzing an employer’s financial capacity, strategies for identifying relevant comparators in wage and benefit negotiations, evaluating the complete range of employee compensation, and approaches to resolving non-monetary aspects of labor disputes.

Poulson serves as general counsel to a large roster of public safety and civilian unions, and in that role, he helps unions negotiate and enforce strong collective bargaining agreements for their members and their families. Through collective bargaining, interest arbitration and the legislative processes, Poulson and his colleagues have secured groundbreaking bargaining, safe-staffing, disability and equipment protections for police officers, firefighters, paramedics and other public safety workers throughout Pennsylvania. He also serves as Executive Director of Labor Relations Information System, which provides education and training services for public safety labor relations professionals across the country.

The NAA is a not-for-profit honorary and professional organization of arbitrators in the United States and Canada. Its annual meetings feature speakers who are labor-management and employment relations practitioners, arbitrators, judges, government officials, and law school and university professors. Click here to learn more about the NAA’s 77th Annual Meeting & Member Education Conference.