Contract Language and Interpretation (LR205)

A collective bargaining agreement is a living document referred to by the parties involved on a daily basis. Whether they are administering contract language or proposing language at the bargaining table, this workshop is designed to provide labor relations practitioners with a solid, practical understanding of what contract language means and how it will likely be interpreted by an arbitrator in the event of a contract language dispute. This one-day workshop covers:

  • A methodology for analyzing contract language disputes
  • Standards used by arbitrators in contract interpretation cases
  • Key contract clauses in collective bargaining agreements

Key Topics

  • Principles of contract interpretation
    • Determining how language is construed
    • Arbitrators' views on contract language
  • The role and impact of past practice
    • Standards for defining/proving a binding past practice
    • The impact of past practice on the meaning of contract language
    • Termination of a past practice
  • Preserving management's rights
    • Understanding the source of management's rights
    • How management's rights can be affected by contract language or past practices
    • How arbitrators view the doctrine of reserved rights
  • Drafting contract language
    • How to write contract language that means what you intended
    • Common drafting mistakes

Special Features

Case study practice in contract interpretation and drafting and the opportunity to hear an arbitrator's view

Who Will Benefit

Labor relations/human resource professionals involved in the administration or negotiation of collective bargaining agreements

Open enrollment workshops can be taken individually or as part of a certificate in Contract Administration Studies or Collective Bargaining Studies. They are also available as Labor Relations Customized Programs for your organization.

Details coming soon.

16 East 34th Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10016
United States