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The United States Government Manual
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
250 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20427
202-606-8100
http://www.fmcs.gov
Office of the Director
| DIRECTOR | (vacancy) |
| Deputy Director | Richard R. Giacolone |
| Assistant Director | Gary Hattal |
| Attorney-Advisor | Dawn Starr |
| Equal Employment Opportunity Director | Denise McKenney |
| Senior Advisor | David Thaler |
| DEPUTY DIRECTORS | |
| Field Operations | D. Scott Blake |
| National Representative | Scot Beckenbaugh |
| Chief Operating Officer | Gregory Goldstein |
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service helps labor and management resolve disputes in industries affecting commerce, offers training in cooperative processes to promote workplace stability and economic growth, and provides alternative dispute resolution services, training, negotiated rulemaking, and public policy facilitation to government entities.
ESTABLISHMENT AND ORGANIZATION
On June 23, 1947, the "Labor Management Relations Act, 1947," became Public Law 80–101 after the Congress enacted it over a veto by President Harry S. Truman. This Act is also referred to as the Taft-Hartley Act because Senator Robert A. Taft and Representative Fred A. Hartley, Jr., sponsored the bill. The Act amended the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, commonly known as the Wagner Act, and established the The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) as an independent agency of the U. S. Government to prevent or minimize the effects of labor-management disputes on the free flow of commerce.
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/299855The FMCS "may proffer its services in any labor dispute in any industry affecting commerce, either upon its own motion or upon 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" (29 U.S.C. 173). Subsequent emendations to the original Labor Management Relations Act have expanded the scope of the agency's dispute resolution services.
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2017-title29/pdf/USCODE-2017-title29-chap7-subchapIII-sec173.pdfThe President appoints the Director by the advice and with consent of the Senate. The Director is prohibited from engaging in any other business, employment, or vocation (29 U.S.C. 172).
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2017-title29/pdf/USCODE-2017-title29-chap7-subchapIII-sec172.pdfThe FMCS is headquartered in Washington, DC, and it has 10 regional offices and more than 60 field and local offices. It provides mediation and conflict resolution services to industry, government agencies, and communities.
https://www.fmcs.gov/aboutusThe agency's organizational chart (AUG 2019) is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing and downloading.
https://www.fmcs.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FMCS-Org-Structure-August-2019.pdfACTIVITIES
The FMCS reduces disruptions to interstate commerce and improves government efficiency by providing skilled mediators to resolve workplace disputes and conflicts arising under the statutory jurisdiction of government entities. FMCS mediators do not enforce laws: They rely on innovative mediation, communication, and relationship building techniques to help disputants achieve consensus.
The FMCS offers its labor mediation and training services in a variety of industries and sectors of the economy, including the private sector (except airlines and railroads), the Federal sector, and the public sector (in States without labor mediation agencies). The Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978 recognized the economic benefits of a more proactive approach to workplace stability. The FMCS awards grants to encourage the establishment of local, regional, and industrywide labor management committees to improve labor management relationships, organizational effectiveness, and economic development. The FMCS also promotes workplace innovation, productivity, and competitiveness through collaboration, good labor-management relationships, and problem solving between companies and their workers.
The Administrative Dispute Resolution and Negotiated Rulemaking Acts of 1996 recognized the broader value of FMCS conflict resolution services for government efficiency. The agency was designated as a key resource to help government entities resolve individual employment disputes, design conflict management systems, achieve stakeholder consensus on new regulations, and conduct more effective multi-stakeholder public policy dialogues.
https://www.fmcs.gov/servicesMediation / Training
FMCS mediators help parties resolve workplace disputes and establish sound, stable, and enduring labor-management relations. In addition to mediating collective bargaining disputes, mediators facilitate better day-to-day workplace relations through a variety of joint training programs. FMCS mediators also assist other government entities with resolving disputes arising under their jurisdictions.
https://www.fmcs.gov/services/resolving-labor-management-disputesArbitration
Voluntary arbitration and factfinding are widely used in labor-management relations. Upon request, the FMCS can provide panels of arbitrators who are experienced in labor relations issues. Requests can be tailored, in terms of expertise, fees, geography, and other considerations, to accommodate a variety of requirements.
https://www.fmcs.gov/services/arbitrationSources of Information
Calendar
A day-by-day listing of important FMCS events is available on online.
https://www.fmcs.gov/resources/calendarCareer Opportunities
Stationed in offices nationwide, FMCS mediators are full-time excepted service employees of the Federal Government. They perform duties in five major areas: advocacy, education, and outreach; alternative dispute resolution services to government entities; collective bargaining mediation; grievance mediation; and relationship development training. The ideal applicant seeking to become an FMCS mediator has full-time experience in the collective bargaining process. U.S. citizenship is required.
https://www.fmcs.gov/careersIn 2018, the FMCS ranked 1st among 29 small agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places To Work Agency Rankings!
http://bestplacestowork.org/rankings/detail/FM00Conflict Management
The FMCS Institute for Conflict Management offers practical and experience-based conflict resolution training for individuals and groups. Course descriptions and enrollment information are available online.
https://www.fmcs.gov/services/education-and-outreach/fmcs-instituteContact
To ask a question or leave a comment, use the electronic "Feedback Form."
https://www.fmcs.gov/feedbackDocuments / Data
Budgets and performance information, regulations and policies, speeches and presentations, publications (some in Spanish), and reports are available online. Collective bargaining notice data and work stoppage data are also posted online.
https://www.fmcs.gov/resources/documents-and-dataElectronic Updates
The FMCS uses email updates to disseminate information on its dispute resolution services and to announce training opportunities. A sign-up form is available online.
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USFMCS/subscriber/newFind a Mediator
An online search tool is available to find a mediator by city, State, or Zip Code, as well as by name, email, or phone number.
https://www.fmcs.gov/aboutus/locations/find-a-mediatorForms / Applications
Forms and applications needed to obtain FMCS services and funding—arbitration, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, labor-management cooperation grants, and notice of bargaining (F–7)—are available online.
https://www.fmcs.gov/resources/forms-applicationsFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA requires Federal agencies to disclose records after receiving a proper written request for them. Certain records, however, are shielded from disclosure by provisions contained within the statute. The FMCS has an online FOIA requester center. The specific procedures for requesting its records, FOIA-related contact information, and a link to records that are already accessible online may be found on the "FOIA Requestor Center" web page.
https://www.fmcs.gov/foia | Email: foia@fmcs.govSubsequent amendments to the FOIA of 1966 require publicly accessible, electronic reading rooms that contain FOIA response documents and other information that is routinely available to the public. Before submitting a FOIA request, see if the FMCS already has placed the desired information in its electronic reading room.
https://www.fmcs.gov/resources/documents-and-dataFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The FMCS posts answers to FAQs on its website.
https://www.fmcs.gov/resources/faqsHistory
A timeline of events in modern American labor relations is available online. The timeline starts with the first Government-mediated settlement in 1838, continues through the creation of the FMCS in 1947 and the West Coast port mediation of 2002, to end currently with President Donald J. Trump's appointment of Richard Giacolone to serve as the agency's acting Director.
https://www.fmcs.gov/aboutus/our-historyNews
The FMCS maintains an online news archive.
https://www.fmcs.gov/newsRegional Offices
Headquartered in Washington, DC, the FMCS delivers services nationwide through its 10 regional and numerous field offices. Contact information for the FMCS national office and its regional and field offices is available online.
https://www.fmcs.gov/aboutus/locations/regional-officesShared Neutrals
Shared Neutrals, also known as Sharing Neutrals, is an interagency mediation program in the National Capital Region, including the Washington, DC, area and Baltimore. The Shared Neutrals program assists participating Federal agencies through a pool of trained, collateral-duty Federal employees who provide mediation services to an agency, other than their own, in exchange for like services to the program from the recipient agency.
https://www.fmcs.gov/sharedneutralsSite Map
The site map allows visitors to look for specific topics or to browse content that aligns with their interests.
https://www.fmcs.gov/site-mapSocial Media
The FMCS has a Facebook account
https://www.facebook.com/fmcs.usaThe FMCS tweets announcements and other newsworthy items on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/FMCS_USAThe FMCS posts videos on its YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/FMCSInfoThe Sources of Information were updated 8–2019.