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FMCS: Putting Customers First
Created as an independent agency of the United States Government by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947, the primary responsibility of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has been to promote sound and stable labor-management relations and to minimize the effect of strikes and lockouts on the free flow of commerce. Over fifty years, FMCS's role and responsibility have continued to expand by statute and practice. FMCS provides services to our customers in five areas: Contract Negotiation (Dispute) Mediation: Mediation is intervention by a neutral third party in a dispute or negotiation with the purpose of assisting the parties to the dispute in voluntarily reaching their own settlement. A mediator may make suggestions, and even procedural or substantive recommendations. Federal mediators intervene to help employers and their unionized employees reach agreement in the negotiation of a collective bargaining contract. FMCS provides these services in the private, public and federal sectors. Preventive Mediation: The Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978 authorized and directed FMCS to offer services to improve economic development, job security and organizational effectiveness. FMCS preventive mediation activities include training in a wide variety of specific organizational change processes, individual and group problem-solving and decision-making skills to help employees and employers break down many of the barriers that traditionally have separated them, and build better working relationships. Arbitration Services: The Taft-Hartley Act mandated FMCS to provide Arbitration Services to the labor-management community. Arbitration is a process in which disputes arising under an agreement, over the application or interpretation of provisions in a collective bargaining contract, or over the terms of a new agreement, can be resolved by a neutral, third-party arbitrator or panel of arbitrators. The names and qualifications of more than 1,700 private arbitrators are kept in FMCS's computerized arbitration roster, allowing them to be retrieved by geographic location, professional affiliation, occupation, experience in particular industries or other specified criteria. Alternative Dispute Resolution: The Administrative Dispute Resolution Act and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act, authorize FMCS to provide alternative dispute resolution services, a variety of joint problem-solving processes, in an effort to improve operations and reduce the expense and time spent in litigation. These processes usually involve the use of a neutral third party to help disputants find mutually-acceptable solutions. FMCS shares its expertise in all aspects of mediation, facilitation and conflict resolution with federal, state and local governmental bodies and agencies. FMCS Grants Program: The Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978 established the FMCS Grants Program, through which funding and technical assistance are provided to encourage innovative approaches to collaborative management-labor relations and problem-solving. Funds are granted for the creation or continuation of labor-management committees. The grants may be used to support committees at the plant level, on an area or industry-wide basis, or in the public sector. These joint organizations bring representatives of employers and employees into regular communication over subjects of mutual interest. OUR MISSIONPromoting the development of sound and stable labor-management relations, Preventing or minimizing work stoppages by assisting labor and management to settle their disputes through mediation, Advocating collective bargaining, mediation and voluntary arbitration as the preferred processes for settling issues between employers and representatives of employees, Developing the art, science and practice of conflict resolution, And fostering the establishment and maintenance of constructive joint processes to improve labor-management relationships, employment security and organizational effectiveness. OUR CUSTOMERS FMCS customers for Dispute Mediation, Preventive Mediation and Arbitration Services are the nation's labor unions and companies with employees represented by unions in the private sector, with the exception of the railroad and airline industries. FMCS also serves management and unionized employees in the public and federal sector. Labor-Management Grants customers include labor-management committees, private companies and labor organizations applying jointly, state and local units of government and certain private, non-profit corporations. Alternative Dispute Resolution customers are federal, state and local governmental entities and agencies where federal funds or issues of public policy are involved. REINVENTING FMCS Labor-management is being buffeted by powerful forces with far-reaching and profound impact on American business and its employees: rapid technological advances, heightened national and international competition, deregulation and a more diverse workforce. Faced with a dramatically-changing environment, a complete and candid evaluation of its role, its operations and its direction was imperative for FMCS to remain a leader in labor-management relations and collective bargaining. The Director appointed The Mediator Task Force On The Future Of FMCS to analyze, question and gather information, and then to develop and articulate a vision which would define the agency as a valuable 21st Century partner to businesses and unions. The strategic plan which resulted points the way to a more responsive, customer-driven organization; to a full service agency populated by "360 degree" mediators with the in-depth knowledge and ability to deliver the full range of services which our customers demand, from basic contract mediation techniques to resolve tension-filled labor disputes over terms of a collective bargaining contract to preventive mediation services to help the parties build more productive working relationships, help them develop joint problem-solving procedures, more constructive ways to bargain, better ways to communicate and even motivate or encourage them to develop high-performance workplaces. Part of that strategic plan addressed the need for a mechanism to gather the ideas, attitudes, perceptions and opinions of the agency's customers and include them in decisions about the future. LISTENING TO OUR CUSTOMERS FMCS has begun a comprehensive program of market research to ask our customers what they know about the agency and its services, what they think of the job we are doing, and ways that we could better serve their needs. Our Customer Service/Survey Committee worked with research professionals to design and implement a baseline opinion survey of customer attitudes. This study included a statistically-representative sample of FMCS customers, and was also targeted to potential customers, those companies and unions which could use our services but do not As part of the National Performance Review, FMCS also conducted a series of focus groups with representative samples of our customers to probe perceptions about our mediation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution services. That information, along with results from the baseline survey, form an important part of the basis for redirecting organizational and budget priorities. This research program provided FMCS with a "snapshot" of attitudes and perceptions at a particular moment. To be useful in measuring the agency's progress toward certain measurable goals in customer service, the research plan also includes regular, periodic "tracking" polls so that a continuum of information can be established, showing the agency's progress over time. FMCS is committed to a process of continuously measuring the agency's performance against established customer service standards, and constantly seeking to improve our services and strengthen that performance. DEVELOPING CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS The Mediator Task Force on the Future of FMCS adopted the following set of value statements to guide its deliberations and final recommendations: Customers We are committed to meeting our customers' needs with timely and quality service. We recognize the individuality of our customers and are committed to adaptable and innovative approaches to ensure their success in collective bargaining and other problem-solving processes. To these ends, we pledge the continuous development of our knowledge. People People are the key to FMCS' effectiveness and ability to excel. We strive for an atmosphere of mutual trust and inclusion with respect for the dignity and uniqueness of all individuals. We promote continuous growth and development and encourage individual responsibility and teamwork for excellence and leadership. Service We are dedicated to meeting the needs of our customers through continuous improvement. We are committed to anticipating and responding to change. Commitment to quality education and training is vital to our mission. Leadership through initiative, creativity and innovation is essential. Neutrality, confidentiality and acceptability are the foundations of our work. Communication Effective communication, in all forms, is a necessary quality of a dynamic, changing organization. We are dedicated to clear, complete, timely and honest communication. While we respect appropriate confidentiality, we value open communication that begins with listening and encourages participation by all. These value statements embody the level of performance and professionalism we strive for, and the quality of service we believe our customers deserve. They have been incorporated into the following customer service standards reflect the quality and level of service our customers want. Customer Service Standards Quality: We shall provide our customers with the most skillful services, processes and training in contract mediation, preventive mediation, conflict resolution and all other areas of agency responsibility equal to the very best in the private sector. We shall strive to improve and expand our knowledge and skills in collective bargaining, labor-management relations and conflict resolution so that our customers receive the highest quality service possible. Neutrality: We are neither pro-employer or pro-union. FMCS is pro-collective bargaining. We shall conduct ourselves so that our customers never doubt our neutrality. Confidentiality: We shall conduct our business so that our customers have trust in our respect for confidentiality in the collective bargaining process. Responsiveness: We are accessible, and always willing to provide prompt response to our customers' needs and questions. Should a service problem occur, we shall do everything possible to correct the problem, and to restore our customers' confidence in us. Empathy: We shall provide thoughtful, individualized attention to our customers' needs. Facilities: When needed, we shall provide our customers with the highest possible quality physical facilities, equipment and materials. FMCS ORGANIZATION FMCS mediators work out of more than 75 field offices around the United States, administered through five geographic regions. For more information, contact the FMCS Office nearest you. National Office:Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service Northeastern RegionOne Newark
Center, 16th Floor William J.
Green Federal Building Southern Region401 West
Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 472 3452 Lake
Lynda Drive, Suite 122 12140
Woodcrest Executive Drive, Suite 215 Midwestern Region6161 Oak
Tree Boulevard, Suite 120 Upper Midwestern RegionBroadway
Place West Elm Plaza,
Suite 203 Western Region1100 Town
and Country Rd, Suite 410 Westin
Building, Suite 310 |
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