Synopsis By: Lurie - Proceeding Author: Erwin B. Ellman

A description of Michigan’s system of legislated, issue-by-issue, final-offer, police- and fire-service arbitration, under which arbitrators are to consider, among other things, “the interest and welfare of the public,” the “stipulations of the parties,” and a m?lange offactors, seemingly aimed at economic issues, such as vacations, holidays, excused time, insurance and pensions, medical andhospitalization benefits and overall compensation, the cost of living, and the financial ability of the governmental unit to pay the foregoing. There is considerable plasticity and diversity in these proceedings; the processing of cases under the statute seems to have satisfied most of the parties most of the time.