    [United States Government Manual]
    [June 01, 2007]
    [Page 415]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 415]]

    FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

    2100 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20427

    Phone, 202-606-8100. Internet, www.fmcs.gov.
    Director                                          Arthur F. Rosenfeld

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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

    FCMS 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.
        FCMS 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
    FCMS and the appropriate State or local mediation agency. FCMS 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.

    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.

    Arbitration  FCMS, 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.

    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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