The Sixth Circuit, in a split decision, held that a dispute between a union and an employer regarding retiree healthcare benefits was not arbitrable because the issue of retiree healthcare benefits was not encompassed within the collective bargaining agreement’s (CBA’s) grievance procedures.

The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers

Several retired employees of Dominion Energy Transmission, Inc. sued their former employer alleging that they were entitled to lifetime healthcare benefits, and the unilateral changes made by Dominion to their post-retirement medical benefits violated ERISA.  The Third Circuit concluded that the retirees failed to state a claim.  Applying ordinary principles of contract interpretation, the Court

The Sixth Circuit ruled that retirees of Moen Inc. were not entitled to lifetime health benefits upon finding that an underlying collective bargaining agreement (CBA) did not create vested rights to these benefits.  Moen and its predecessor were parties to several CBAs with a local affiliate of the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural