FMCS Organization

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE ORGANIZATION

The functions and responsibilities of each office within FMCS are set forth below:

Office of the Director

The Director, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is responsible for establishment of policy and overall administration of the Service. He serves as agency liaison with the White House, members of the President's Cabinet and Congress, while also providing direction for, and participating in, the mediation of major disputes.

The Special Assistant to the Director assists the Director in the administration of his duties, has overall responsibility for the coordination of meetings and events involving the Director and represents the Director in many National Office activities, such as the National Office Partnership Council.

The National Representative functions as a representative of the Director on the National Partnership Council and on the National Performance Review, as well as an agency spokesperson in various private and public sector labor-management forums. This person also serves as an advisor on technical and administrative operations of the Service and assists in selected national disputes.

The Director of Communications provides internal and external information about the activities of the Service and acts as the public information voice for the agency in significant dispute cases, handling questions and information requests from the news media and issuing official statements from the FMCS Director. The office also coordinates the agency's communication with business and union customers, with members of Congress, and provides public information and outreach training for the field mediators.

Office of the Deputy Directors

Under the 1995-96 restructuring initiative, a National Office leadership team was created which includes the Director and two Deputy Directors.

The Deputy Director for Field Operations is responsible for assisting the Director in all aspects of management of the Service's five Regions, 78 field offices and 200 mediators. The Deputy Director participates in the mediation of labor disputes of national scope and significance when necessary. The Deputy Director is responsible for the operation and implementation of FMCS policies and procedures for dispute mediation and preventive mediation activities.

The Deputy Director for National Office Operations serves as the principal operations officer in the internal administration of the Service, responsible for managing the daily operations and implementing policies for the program and support functions of the National Office.

Both Deputy Directors serve as advisors to the Director in the establishment of policy, and represent the Director in a variety of forums with the White House, the President's cabinet, the Congress, leaders of labor and management, and federal, state and local government officials.

National Office Departments

Through Arbitration Services, FMCS provides the labor-management community with lists of highly qualified arbitrators to settle disputes arising during the life of labor contracts. Functions of this division include the development of improved roster maintenance techniques, establishment of case administration services, and response to new developments in the arbitration process.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services provides clients in federal, state and local governments with services and training in joint problem-solving approaches which can be used in lieu of agency adjudication, courtroom litigation and traditional government rulemaking.

The Office of Programs and Labor-Management Grants administers the labor-management grants program of the Service. Grants support the establishment and operation of plant, area, and industrywide joint labor-management committees.

The General Counsel provides legal support and advice necessary for the Service to carry out its mission. Working with the Department of Justice, the office represents the agency in proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Office of the Special Counsel, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Federal Labor Relations Authority, and other administrative bodies. Freedom of Information Act responsibilities and Ethics Program duties are also covered by this office.

The Office of Administration provides a full range of administrative support functions to the National Office in Washington, D.C. and the seventy-eight field locations throughout the country including procurement, contracting, supply, office space, mail services, records management, printing and distribution, desktop publishing, communications and transportation management, building security, and maintenance.

This office is also responsible for the Service's automated data processing support with the major focus on systems which handle case processing and reporting.

The Office of Budget develops budget estimates and supporting material to cover the financial needs of the Service, coordinates and assists in the presentation of the budget to the Office of Management and Budget and the Congress, and ensures that enacted appropriations are properly executed.

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for providing human resource programs to meet management's needs and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Major programs include hiring of qualified employees, classification of all positions, implementation and monitoring of appraisal systems, and coordination of employee relations programs.

The Office of Finance provides an integrated system of accounting controls, records, and reports to meet management's needs and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

The Director of International Affairs is responsible for the Service's international activities and projects, coordinating programs with sponsoring organizations which send FMCS mediators abroad and bring delegations from other countries to FMCS Headquarters.

The Office of Mediation Information has the responsibility for the integrity of the case administration system. It serves as the link between the districts and the national office for all matters pertaining to the data system. It also serves as the responding office for all case related Freedom of Information requests received.

This office also receives, processes, and dispenses more than 50,000 notices of contract expirations required by law to the five regions and ten Directors of Mediation Services, and receives and monitors activity reporting by field mediators on these notices.

The Education and Training Coordinator develops educational and training programs and oversees all training and professional development functions for FMCS leadership, mediators and staff.

FMCS Field Organization

The restructuring initiative consolidated nine districts into five regions, each headed by a Regional Director who provides overall leadership within the region, and is specifically responsible for building and strengthening relations with FMCS customers, the labor-management community, local elected officials and education institutions. The Regional Director reports to the Director through the Deputy Director for Field Operations.

Each region has two Directors of Mediation Service who report to the Regional Director and work hands-on with approximately twenty mediators. With the Regional Director, they form the leadership team for that area.

Mediators are the largest group of employees. They provide services to the agency's customers, mediating disputes in the negotiation of collective bargaining contracts, and in training in cooperative skills and processes as part of Preventive Mediation services. They must have extensive experience and knowledge of the collective bargaining and a strong commitment to become proficient in the delivery of all FMCS services to be selected as mediators. Their knowledge of labor-management relations and the collective bargaining process is key to their ability to influence bargainers in the settlement of their differences.

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