The Association of Civil Service Employees made its final play for compensation Tuesday in arbitration with the University, but union members will have to wait about three months before they learn the arbitrator’s decision.

Ruth Pommier, president of the union, and Bob York, executive director of Human Relations and Support, who represented ACsE and the University respectively, both expressed optimism at the conclusion of the five-hour arbitration process.

“You know, you never know how an arbitration goes until an arbitrator rules, but I thought it went well,” York said. “The University was able to express its position clearly, and I felt our points were valid. We just hope he sees it our way.”

Ed Archer, from Indianapolis, oversaw the proceedings. Pommier and York said they were pleased with the arbitrator, saying he seemed competent, knowledgeable and well experienced, although they could not speculate on his final decision.

“Good arbitrators don’t tip their hand, and I would say Archer is as good as they come,” Pommier said in an e-mail.

Each side has until May 15 to exchange follow-up briefs, and Archer is expected to make his decision in the subsequent months, almost one year after the initial raises were offered to SIU-Edwardsville range employees.

ACsE filed its first grievance in September to receive the 2-percent increase given to some employees on the Edwardsville campus in July. The University rejected it and all subsequent complaints, and the union continued with arbitration.

The ACsE contract, which outlines the procedures for grievances and can be found on the SIUC Human Relations website, says grievances are preferred to be resolved informally, but if that is not possible, a procedure is outlined that can be followed until an accord is reached.

Although SIUC administrators offered employees a comparable raise effective in February, ACsE members voted to deny the raise and continue seeking an increase implemented over the entire fiscal year.

Binding arbitration with a member of the American Arbitration Association, in this case Archer, is the final step in the process.

York said the arbitration was more of the same issues brought up over the past six months.

“I don’t know if there were any new or surprising issues that were raised during the proceedings,” York said. “I thought the University in the past had clearly described its position and we didn’t change what our position has been all along and the union didn’t either.

“I feel very good and very positive at our chances of prevailing.”

Pommier said this was her first experience testifying in arbitration, and she found it frustrating because she was restricted to yes and no answers with little opportunity for elaboration. She said she did a lot of research to prepare, but was unable to go into much detail.

She said in an e-mail that if the award goes to the University, the union will move, through arbitration if necessary, to receive the same increase given to SIUC employees retroactive to Feb. 1.