    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2002]
    [Pages 418-419]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

    2100 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20427
    Phone, 202-606-8100. Internet, www.fmcs.gov.

    Director                                          C. Richard Barnes
    Deputy Director                                   George W. Buckingham,
                                                              Jr.

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    The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service assists labor and
    management in resolving disputes in collective bargaining contract
    negotiation through voluntary mediation and arbitration services;
    provides training to unions and management in cooperative processes to
    improve long-term relationships under the Labor Management Cooperation
    Act of 1978; provides alternative dispute resolution services and
    training to Government agencies, including the facilitation of
    regulatory negotiations under the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act
    and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1996; and awards competitive grants
    to joint labor-management committees to encourage innovative approaches
    to cooperative efforts.

    The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) was created by the
    Labor Management Relations Act, 1947 (29 U.S.C. 172). The Director is
    appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

    Activities

    The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service helps prevent disruptions
    in the flow of interstate commerce caused by labor-management disputes
    by providing mediators to assist disputing parties in the resolution of
    their differences. Mediators have no law enforcement authority and rely
    wholly on persuasive techniques.
        The Service offers its facilities in labor-management disputes to
    any industry affecting interstate commerce with employees represented by
    a union, either upon its own motion or at the request of one or more of
    the parties to the dispute, whenever in its judgment such dispute
    threatens to cause a substantial interruption of commerce. The Labor
    Management Relations Act

    [[Page 419]]

    requires that parties to a labor contract must file a dispute notice if
    agreement is not reached 30 days in advance of a contract termination or
    reopening date. The notice must be filed with the Service and the
    appropriate State or local mediation agency. The Service is required to
    avoid the mediation of disputes that would have only a minor effect on
    interstate commerce if State or other conciliation services are
    available to the parties.

    For further information, contact one of the regional offices listed
    below.

    Mediation  Efforts of FMCS mediators are directed toward the
    establishment of sound and stable labor-management relations on a
    continuing basis, thereby helping to reduce the incidence of work
    stoppages. The mediator's basic function is to encourage and promote
    better day-to-day relations between labor and management, so that issues
    arising in negotiations may be faced as problems to be settled through
    mutual effort rather than issues in dispute.

    For further information, contact the Office of Public Affairs. Phone,
    202-606-8080.

    Arbitration  The Service, on the joint request of employers and unions,
    will also assist in the selection of arbitrators from a roster of
    private citizens who are qualified as neutrals to adjudicate matters in
    dispute.

    For further information, contact the Office of Arbitration Services.
    Phone, 202-606-5111.

          Regional Offices--Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
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            Region/Address                  Director             Telephone
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    Northeastern (16th Fl., 1      Kenneth C. Kowalski......    973-645-2200
     Newark Ctr., Newark, NJ
     07102).
    Southern (Suite 472, 401 W.    Fred W. Reebals..........    404-331-3995
     Peachtree St. NW., Atlanta,
     GA 30308).
    Midwestern (Suite 100, 6161    John F. Buettner, Acting.    216-522-4800
     Oak Tree Blvd.,
     Independence, OH 44131).
    Upper Midwestern (Suite 3950,  Scot Beckenbaugh.........    612-370-3300
     1300 Godward St.,
     Minneapolis, MN 55413).
    Western (Rm. 550, 7677         Barbara J. Wood..........    510-273-0100
     Oakport St., Oakland, CA
     94621).
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    For further information, contact the Public Affairs Office, Federal
    Mediation and Conciliation Service, 2100 K Street NW., Washington, DC
    20427. Phone, 202-606-8100. Internet, www.fmcs.gov.

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