The state Supreme Court on Tuesday reaffirmed the public policy that arbitration is the best way to handle contract disputes with public-sector employees and that arbitrators’ awards should be given great deference.

The ruling, in East Rutherford v. East Rutherford PBA Local 275, A-24-11, finds an arbitration award was not contrary to existing law or public policy and was a reasonably debatable interpretation of a collective bargaining agreement between East Rutherford and PBA Local 275.