[United States Government Manual]
[June 01, 2004]
[Pages 416-417]
[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                                          Peter J. Hurtgen

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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

[[Page 417]]

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 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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Eastern (Suite 100, 6161 Oak   John F. Buettner.........    216-522-4800
 Tree Blvd., Independence, OH
 44131.
Western (Suite 3950, Broadway  Scot L. Beckenbaugh......    612-331-6670
 Place West, 1300 Godward
 St., Minneapolis, MN 55413).
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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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