DEVELOPING AN ARBITRATION PROCESS FOR RESOLVING CONTRACT DISPUTES: PREPARING FOR THE WORST WHILE HOPING FOR THE BEST

This case study addresses the development and implementation of arbitration strategies at MARTA. The report describes the effort to defuse the destructive potential for conflict among MARTA, UMTA, and contractors over the handling of contract disputes. The 3 existing MARTA strategies aimed to limit conflict, namely--assuming part of the risk of performance, using federal contract language and legal precedent, and providing absolute limits for work-stoppages--did not prevent disagreements over contracts. After much effort and several dead-ends, MARTA executives settled on a method for resolving contractual disputes, namely, arbitration. It generated confidence among all parties that any disputes involving contract performance would be treated fairly, quickly, and cheaply. The appendices in this report are: MARTA Contract Clauses Relating to Arbitration, and MARTA Procedures for Contractor Claims. (UMTA)

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Georgia, Athens

  College of Business Administration
  Athens, GA  United States  30602

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Trattner, J B
  • Miller, G J
• Publication Date: 1979-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 23 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Arbitration; Case studies; Contracts; Labor agreements; Labor law; Labor relations; Labor unions; Rapid transit; Strikes; Transportation operations
• Identifier Terms: Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
• Old TRIS Terms: Transportation administration
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Public Transportation; Railroads; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00331238
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-GA-11-0006-81-1
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 15 1982 12:00AM