[United States Government Manual]
[September 15, 2009]
[Pages 401-402]
[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                                          Scot L. Beckenbaugh, 
                                                          Acting

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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.

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

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

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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  FMCS, 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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