Author Fisher maintains that the arbitration process is too confrontational, and that centralized control and authority must give way to more local control. He describes the United Steel Workers Union and various steel companies expedited arbitration panels as examples. He contends that Arbitrators should not be viewed as judges in technical, arm’s-length disputes between strangers but, rather, as an extension of the labor-management relationship, the main thrust of which should be to reassure the worker, as well as render a decision on the merits. Commentator St. John states that arbitration awards must be based upon the CBA, and commentator Stoner adds that abandoning the CBA in order to render a decision that is “practical,” “equitable” or “common sense” can lead to problematic results.