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Arbitrator Michael H. Gottesman will hear presentations by the UTU and the Sheet Metal Workers International Association during five days of arbitration in June to determine whether the merger agreement between the UTU and the SMIWA is an enforceable agreement.

Gottesman, a law professor at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., was named to arbitrate the dispute by AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka following a March 4 ruling of Federal District Court Judge John Bates.

The choice of Gottesman was jointly approved by UTU International President Mike Futhey and SMWIA National President Mike Sullivan.

Judge Bates, in his March 4 ruling, said a separate action brought by several UTU members challenging the validity of the merger — alleging violations of Titles I and V or the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act — is not within the arbitrator’s jurisdiction and that he would delay a ruling on that complaint pending the outcome of the arbitration.

Gottesman will hear evidence from each organization June 7-9 and June 14-15. There is no deadline on his issuing a ruling.

Pursuant to a March 4 ruling of a federal district court judge, an arbitrator has been named to determine whether the merger agreement between the UTU and the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) is an enforceable agreement.

Georgetown University law professor Michael H. Gottesman has been named by AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka as the arbitrator — a choice approved jointly by UTU International President Mike Futhey and SMWIA National President Mike Sullivan.

In his March 4 ruling, Federal Judge John Bates said a separate action brought by several UTU members, challenging the validity of the merger — alleging violations of Titles I and V or the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act — is not within the arbitrator’s jurisdiction and that he would delay a ruling on that complaint pending the outcome of the arbitration.

Arbitrator Gottesman earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Chicago and his law degree from Yale University.

He teaches labor law, constitutional law and civil rights at Georgetown University.

Gottesman held an appointment from President Jimmy Carter to review hundreds of candidates for federal court vacancies, and has published numerous articles for law journals. His latest article, “The Role of Labor in the 21st Century,” will be published later this year by the Columbia University Law Review.

As matters develop, further information will be posted at www.utu.org.

WASHINGTON — Late Friday, March 4, U.S. District Court Judge John Bates issued several rulings regarding the pending cases regarding the UTU and the Sheet Metal Workers International Association — SMWIA v. UTU and Murphy et al. v. SMWIA.

Initially, Judge Bates granted the motion to consolidate the cases before him.

He also ruled that the claims regarding whether the merger ever took place, as well as other merger related claims, should go before an arbitrator to decide, and that he could make no ruling on those issues.

With regard to the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) Title I and Title V claims concerning the validity of the merger, Judge Bates found that those were not within the arbitrator’s jurisdiction and would remain with him.

However, he ruled that he will hold those claims in abeyance pending the outcome of the arbitration.

Judge Bates also granted the individual UTU members’ motion to intervene with regard to the LMRDA claims.

As matters develop, further information will be posted at www.utu.org.