FMCS | 250 E Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

NEWS RELEASE

Friday, Aug. 14, 2020 Contact: Greg Raelson

For Immediate Release Director, Congressional & Public Affairs

Website: www.fmcs.gov Phone: (202) 606-8081

Senate Confirms FMCS Director

WASHINGTON, DC (Aug. 14, 2020) – The United States Senate confirmed President Trump’s nomination 

of Richard Giacolone as Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in a voice vote 

on Aug. 13.

Director Giacolone was appointed by President Trump to serve as the Acting Director of FMCS in June 

2018 and received his original nomination in April 2019.

Director Giacolone began his mediation career at FMCS in the Chesapeake, Virginia field office in 1995. 

He was the former Director of the FMCS International/ADR Department and Special Assistant to the 

Director of FMCS. Prior to receiving his commission with FMCS, Director Giacolone was Labor Relations 

Advisor for the Department of the Navy and has an extensive background in labor relations representing 

management.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be confirmed by the Senate as FMCS’ director,” Giacolone said. “I am 

thankful for the opportunity to continue to lead this indispensable agency and am eager to carry on our 

mission in preventing and resolving workplace conflict during a time when labor and management issues 

are at such a critical point.”

In the two years he has led the Agency, Director Giacolone has reorganized the Agency structure and has 

implemented a variety of initiatives to modernize the Agency, better equipping it to handle current 

challenges and cases. Under his leadership, FMCS has expanded its core work as it relates to services 

provided under congressional authorizations such as the Administrative Dispute Resolution Acts (ADRAs) 

of 1990 and 1996 and other statutes in which FMCS is named as the provider of third-party neutral 

services. Director Giacolone also leads the Agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of great 

uncertainty, where he has greatly expanded the virtual capabilities of the Agency, leading to a seamless 

transition with no disruption in services to FMCS customers.

“One of my visions is to see FMCS work in a more robust and engaging way in the federal sector. For 

example, we signed an agreement last April with the EEOC to mediate formal complaints pending 

hearing at the Administrative Judge level. At the request of the Federal Labor Relations Authority, we 

agreed to provide ADR services in connection with negotiability disputes,” Giacolone added. “We also 

signed an agreement with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to mediate its backlog of EEO cases in 

Boston, Washington DC and Atlanta, and will soon modify that agreement to expand nationwide. As 

further examples, we have assumed the administration of the Shared Neutrals program in the National 

Capital area, relaunched ADR.gov website to assist federal agencies in developing and implementing 

ADR programs, and successfully assisted the US Dept. of Transportation and the 574 federally
FMCS | 250 E Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20427 | 202-606-8100 | www.fmcs.gov

recognized Native American Tribes in their recent negotiated rulemaking process establishing tribal 

transportation self-governance. I am so proud of our Agency’s progress.”

During his quarter-century FMCS career, Director Giacolone mediated thousands of domestic labor and 

employment cases, comprising many cases of national significance, ranging from labor disputes 

involving multiple symphonies and orchestras, to bus and transportation disputes, and scores of cases 

involving shipbuilding and repair industries with national impact. Most recently, Director Giacolone

helped to bring an end to a lengthy strike at Bath Iron Works in Maine. He has also mediated numerous 

significant collective bargaining agreements covering nationwide bargaining units in the federal sector. 

Director Giacolone led the Agency's transition assistance mission during the transfer of the Panama 

Canal to the Republic of Panama, and his additional international work at FMCS includes both mediation 

and the development and delivery of dispute resolution programs in more than a dozen other countries.

Among his professional honors, Director Giacolone was awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal 

for his contributions to the Department of Navy Labor and Employee Relations program, and the Society 

of Federal Labor and Employee Relations Professionals Lifetime Achievement Award. He was elected 

National President of the Society of Federal Labor and Employee Relations Professionals.

Director Giacolone holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Psychology and a Master of Public 

Administration degree from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. He has served on the faculty and 

regularly lectured at several universities on topics such as collective bargaining and arbitration.

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The U.S. Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) is the nation’s premier public agency for 

dispute resolution and conflict management. FMCS was created by Congress as a neutral and 

independent government agency upon enactment of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 (TaftHartley Act) and mandated to resolve industrial conflict and promote labor-management peace and 

cooperation, minimizing the impact of these disputes on the free flow of commerce. With headquarters 

in Washington, D.C. and offices across the country, the agency has a proud track record of decades of 

effective dispute resolution and conflict management services for employers and unions across industries 

and work activities in the private, public, and federal sectors. FMCS is also recognized for its success 

facilitating negotiated rulemaking processes and for its robust employment mediation program in the 

federal sector as well as its global program, partnering with more than 60 countries to provide 

international consulting and training. For more on FMCS or to request services, visit www.fmcs.gov