Federal Mediation & Conciliation Services

When labor and management are unable to move toward a mutually acceptable union contract during negotiations the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service agency is often called upon to assist.

As an independent agency of the United States government, the FMCS provides assistance to companies around the country.

What is FMCS?

Ultimately the goal of federal mediation services is to avoid work stoppages through labor mediation resolution by helping employers and unions reach an agreement.

Several circumstances where federal mediation services are necessary-typically because either party has indicated that they will not reach a contract resolution due to disagreement, include areas such as:

Compensation
Insurance benefits

Retirement benefits
Length of union contract

Union employees in many industries are not allowed to strike until negotiations are turned over for federal mediation. Therefore the significance of federal mediation service relies heavily upon its ability to successfully balance the demands of both labor and management to facilitate a quick resolution.

Benefits of the FMCS:

Whether the negotiation process involving the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service lasts a month or several years, the agency attempts to consistently maintain a neutral position to ensure an equitable solution

Reasons why federal mediation services should be sought:

To act as an impartial third party to facilitate communications and negotiations between labor and management
To provide the opportunity for both parties to define and clarify issues
To explore and assess potential labor relations solutions
To assist both parties in reaching a mutually satisfactory agreement

Federal Mediation Process

Because of their neutrality, both labor and management can rely upon the federal mediation process to be free from bias or prejudice.

Considering the alternatively disruptive results without the expertise of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, both unions and organizations benefit greatly from the availability of the critical contribution of federal mediation.