Nebraska Assn. of Pub. Employees v. State
Summary
The Nebraska Supreme Court reversed the Commission of Industrial Relations' decision and ruled in favor of the Nebraska Association of Public Employees in a collective bargaining dispute. The Court found that NAPE's arbitration agreement with the State required the State to pay attorney's fees following a successful arbitration. The Court awarded NAPE $8,888 in attorney's fees and taxed costs to the State. The ruling clarifies the enforceability of arbitration provisions in collective bargaining agreements for public employees.
What changed
The Nebraska Supreme Court reversed the Commission of Industrial Relations' determination regarding the payment of attorney's fees following NAPE's successful arbitration against the State of Nebraska. The Court found that the arbitration agreement between NAPE and the State required the losing party to bear the costs of the prevailing party's attorney's fees, and that the State was obligated to pay NAPE $8,888.
For public employers, government agencies, and legal professionals handling public sector labor disputes, this ruling reinforces that arbitration provisions in collective bargaining agreements will be construed according to their plain language. Public employers should review their arbitration agreements carefully to understand cost allocation implications, as unfavorable arbitration outcomes may result in fee-shifting obligations. The decision also emphasizes that courts will examine the totality of circumstances when interpreting collective bargaining agreement provisions.
Archived snapshot
Apr 17, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Nebraska Supreme Court Online Library www.nebraska.gov/apps-courts-epub/ 04/17/2026 02:13 PM CDT
Commission of Industrial Relations: Appeal and Error. - Labor and Labor Relations: Contracts.- Contracts. Actions: Words and Phrases. - Actions.
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- - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union v. Douglas Cty. -
- - - - - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union, supra
- Employees United Labor Assn. v. Douglas Cty. - - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union v. Douglas Cty. - - -
Fraternal Order of Police v. City of York - Id. Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union, supra - id. - City of York, supra - Tramont Manufacturing, LLC
- N.L.R.B. has exercised - N.L.R.B. v. U.S. Postal Service City of York -
U.S. Postal Service Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union v. Douglas Cty. Fraternal Order of Police
- City of York - Wilkes-Barre Hosp. Company, LLC v. N.L.R.B. - - Id.- City of York, supra Wilkes-Barre Hosp. Company, LLC U.S. Postal Service, supra City of York, supra - Id. - U.S. Postal Service Id. Columbia College Chicago v. N.L.R.B. -
- Id. - Id. - Ray Anderson, Inc. v. Buck's, Inc. -
supra - supra - Columbia College Chicago v. N.L.R.B. Fraternal Order of Police v. City of York - - City of York
Chicago Tribune Co. v. N.L.R.B. - - City of York - - - - -
- - - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union v. Douglas Cty. - - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union, supra -
Id. Id. Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union - Public Assn. of Govt. Empl. v. City of Lincoln - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union, supra Public Assn. of Govt. Empl. - because Public Assn. of Govt. Empl.
- Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union v. Douglas Cty. id. - - Id. Dept. of Navy, Marine Corps Logistics Base v. FLRA Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union - - - - - Fraternal Order of Police v. City of York
Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union
Douglas Cty.
Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union - - - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union Dept. of Navy, Marine Corps Logistics Base v. FLRA, supra - Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. UnionDouglas Cty.
must Public Assn. of Govt. Empl.
- City of Lincoln Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union - Fraternal Order of Police v. City of York - Id - Enloe Medical Center v. N.L.R.B. Enloe Medical Center effects Id.
Id. Id. Columbia College Chicago
- N.L.R.B. Enloe Medical Center - - - - - -
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- - pro- hibited conduct by the opposing party - - - City of Omaha v. Professional Firefighters Assn. Id. - Id.
Douglas Cty. Health Ctr. Sec. Union Public Assn. of Govt. Empl. - Service Empl. Internat. v. Douglas Cty. Sch. Dist. - Gannett Rochester Newspapers v. N.L.R.B. - id. Service Empl. Internat., supra
Wilkes-Barre Hosp. Company, LLC v. N.L.R.B. - - -
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