FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR 2017

Congressional Budget Submission

&

Annual Performance Plan

Submitted to the

Congress

February 2016
FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR 2017

Congressional Budget Submission & Annual Performance Plan

Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary................................................................................................ 1

A. Rising to the Challenge of the 21st Century Workplace ................................... 2

B. External Operations: Mediation and Conflict Management ............................ 4

C. Internal Operations: Securing the Future of FMCS Together ....................... 12

D. Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 15

II. FMCS Organizational Chart ................................................................................. 17

III. Appropriation Language ....................................................................................... 18

IV. Statutory and Other Legal Authority .................................................................... 19

V. Budget Tables and Detailed Financial Requirements........................................... 23

VI. Mission and Program Structure ............................................................................ 32

A. Collective Bargaining Mediation.................................................................... 33

B. Grievance Mediation....................................................................................... 33

C. Relationship-Development and Training........................................................ 33

D. Conflict Resolution and ADR Services for Government................................ 34

E. International Training and Exchange.............................................................. 36

F. Arbitration Services........................................................................................ 36

G. FMCS Institute for Conflict Management ...................................................... 36

H. Labor-Management Committee Grants .......................................................... 37

VII. Workload Projections – FY 2016 and FY 2017.................................................... 39

VIII. Annual Performance Plan ..................................................................................... 42

Appendix A. Known Upcoming Significant Negotiations....................................... 50

Appendix B. FMCS Virtual Academy Courses, 2015 ............................................. 55
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Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Estimates

I. Executive Summary

New technologies and business models are fundamentally changing nearly every 

sector of the U.S. economy. Driven largely by the ongoing evolution from a 

manufacturing based economy to one that is more service and knowledge based, this 

transformation presents enormous challenges and opportunities. Just as in earlier periods 

of economic transition, however, the current evolution also increases the likelihood of 

workplace conflict. Thus, while policy makers debate the “future of work” and the very 

definition of “the workplace,” workers and businesses are increasingly concerned about 

securing their own futures now.

Many disputes are taking place in traditional labor-management settings and in 

conventional industries and sectors of the economy, such as cargo shipping, oil refining, 

and automobile and steel manufacturing. Others are playing out among low-wage 

workers and those participating in the “gig” economy and who are increasingly taking 

their demands for better wages and working conditions to the streets and to state 

legislatures and local governments. Whatever the setting, these labor disputes are 

presenting the business community with complex decisions relating to costs, hiring and 

retaining skilled workers, managing technology, and competing globally.

Nearly 70 years ago, Congress had the wisdom and foresight to recognize that 

although workplace conflict is inevitable, disruptive work stoppages need not be. 

Managing conflict or preventing it altogether was seen as the best way to avert adverse 

economic impacts. Congress created the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service 

(FMCS) in 1947 with the explicit objective of “assist[ing] parties to labor disputes in 

industries affecting commerce to settle such disputes through conciliation and 

mediation.”

In subsequent years, Congress recognized the additional economic benefits of a more 

proactive approach to workplace stability. Good labor-management relationships, 

collaboration, and pragmatic problem solving between companies and their workers not 

only prevents disputes, but also significantly contributes to increased competitiveness, 

job growth, and enhanced economic well-being. Through the Labor-Management 

Cooperation Act of 1978, Congress provided FMCS with robust grant-making authority 

to encourage the establishment of local, regional or industry-wide labor management 

committees to improve labor management relationships, involve workers in decisions 

affecting their jobs, and to promote job security, organizational effectiveness, and 

economic development.
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In 1990, Congress further tasked FMCS to use its conflict management expertise to 

help sister Federal agencies reduce the excessive time and costs spent on litigating 

disputes arising under their statutory jurisdictions. FMCS was named as a “go-to” 

resource for resolving individual employment disputes, as well as conflict resolution 

training and systems design. Congress also encouraged agencies to use FMCS 

facilitation services to achieve stakeholder consensus on new regulations and to conduct 

more effective multi-stakeholder public policy dialogues.

FMCS has a proud record of success in helping parties resolve disputes, learn joint 

problem-solving skills, and create successful, collaborative problem-solving 

relationships. Every day, the Agency’s small corps of skilled, professional mediators 

applies cutting-edge conflict resolution strategies to enhance organizational effectiveness, 

improve competitiveness, job security, and organizational efficiency. As the nature, 

complexity, and range of the issues confronting business and labor have evolved, so too 

has FMCS, constantly seeking new and innovative methods to prevent disruptions to the 

U.S. economy, to reduce costs to U.S. taxpayers, and, most importantly, to help business 

and labor succeed in the changing economy.

The 2017 Budget requests $50.7 million for FMCS, a $1.9 million increase over the 

2016 enacted level. This reflects the elimination of the one-time relocation costs 

provided in the 2016 enacted level, inflationary increases to cover pay and rent, as well as 

a proposed expansion in the agency’s labor-management grants to support area- and 

industry-wide labor-management partnerships.

A. Rising to the Challenge of the 21st Century Workplace

FMCS was born during the economic turmoil following the Second World War. 

Then, the U.S. was in the final stages of the disruptive transition from an agricultural to 

an industrial economy. In this second decade of the 21st century, the U.S. is at a similar 

point, this time in the transition from a manufacturing economy to one driven by 

advanced technology, knowledge, and services.

Although labor and management have resolved many recent conflicts in legacy 

industries within the framework of traditional collective bargaining, new forms of 

bargaining have emerged in new segments of the economy, such as multi-party dialogues 

and local legislative initiatives, including high profile social media campaigns and 

community-based rallies to achieve increased minimum wages and paid sick leave. At 

the same time, there has been a surge of traditional organizing and demands for collective 

bargaining among "new economy" and previously unorganized workers, such as digital 

media professionals, adjunct college and university professors, campus resident advisors, 

"tech" transportation workers at companies like Uber, Bikeshare, Megabus, Compass and 

Loop, retail industry workers, and physicians serving as hospitalists.

Regardless of the forum or framework, the issues now and in 2017 are fundamentally 

the same: workers seeking to improve their terms and conditions of employment and 

businesses seeking to ensure their competitiveness and profitability. In all cases, FMCS's 

highly skilled, professional mediators are uniquely positioned to help parties find durable 

solutions in a transitioning economy.
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FMCS understands that just as business and labor must innovate and embrace new 

workplace models during times of change, so too must FMCS. Accordingly, the agency 

recently engaged in an in-depth review of its operations and updated its structure and 

services to ensure the operational excellence, employee engagement, and culture of 

innovation needed to meet the evolving needs of its labor, management and government 

customers.

FMCS is proud of its accomplishments to date and looks forward, in 2017, to 

intensifying its efforts to educate and inform business and labor of the value and benefits 

of the Agency's training, facilitation, and dispute resolution services. In 2017, FMCS 

will increase its efforts to:

• Inform workers and companies about the value of good labor-management 

relationships, developed through on-going joint problem-solving, open 

communications, respect, trust and transparency, specifically through the use of 

web-based technologies, social media, and the return of the highly acclaimed 

FMCS National Labor-Management Conference.

• Help labor and management leaders embrace the massive generational shift 

underway in their workplaces so that together they can address issues of 

recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction among young workers.

• Launch a Young Labor-Management Leaders Academy to prepare the next 

generation of labor and management leaders in inclusive leadership and 

problem-solving skills.

• Incorporate cutting edge theory, such as conflict neuroscience, into training, 

relationship, and bargaining processes.

• Offer its expertise in varied models of bargaining from traditional, to modified 

traditional, expedited, interest-based, and what FMCS calls the affinity model of 

economic bargaining.

• Help sister government agencies manage their disputes and resolve stakeholder 

conflict through alternative dispute resolution processes, including the 

facilitation of public policy discussions, and negotiated rulemaking.

• Leverage FMCS mediators' unparalleled conflict resolution experience and 

skills, both nationally and internationally, across all sectors, industries, and 

dispute arenas, at the workplace and the bargaining table, in the public policy 

arena, and in skills development forums, to improve relationships and create the 

trust, respect and problem-solving skills essential for continued economic 

growth, increased job security, and greater efficiency in the provision of 

government services.
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B. External Operations: Mediation and Conflict Management

With its history of nearly 70 years of providing mediation, training, and facilitation 

services, FMCS has more aggregate experience in dispute resolution than any other 

government agency. For the U.S. economy, the FMCS’s statutory mandate to “prevent” 

or “minimize” labor disputes remains as vital today as it was when the agency was 

created.

Managing Bargaining Challenges: Recent Major Contract Negotiations

Even the best labor-management relationships can be challenged when negotiations 

involve the kinds of multiple and complex issues currently facing most bargaining 

partners. This reality was powerfully demonstrated throughout 2015 by a number of high 

profile disputes, some of which are listed below, in which the parties jointly requested 

FMCS mediation services to bring their negotiations to a successful conclusion.

• Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players' Association (ASOPA), the Atlanta 

Symphony management and the Woodruff Arts Center. Following the 

second lockout of musicians in two years, the agreement reached by the parties 

helped ensure the continuing viability of one of the South’s premier cultural 

institutions.

• International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific 

Maritime Association (PMA). Following nearly six weeks of intensive 

negotiations with the FMCS top dispute mediator, and the 11th hour assistance 

of Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, 

and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, a complete shutdown of West Coast 

shipping operations was avoided. Analysts had predicted that a 10-day 

shutdown of the West Coast ports would have cost the U.S. economy 

$2.1 billion a day.

• Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Major League Soccer Players Union. 

With assistance from FMCS, a new 5-season collective bargaining agreement

“will provide a platform for our players, ownership, and management to work 

together to help build Major League Soccer into one of the great soccer leagues 

in the world," stated MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

• FairPoint Communications, Inc., the International Brotherhood of 

Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the Communications Workers of America 

(CWA). An 18-week work stoppage impacting telecommunications services 

and delivery in the northeastern United States was successfully concluded when 

the parties resumed bargaining at FMCS Headquarters in Washington, DC with 

FMCS leadership.

• National Nurses United (NNU) and the University of Chicago Medical 

Center (UCMC). With FMCS assistance, issues surrounding the use of ratios 

versus an acuity-based system for staffing, team leads, charge nurses, 

elimination of rotation positions, and other staffing concerns, along with Ebola 
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treatment, union access, and many economic issues were ultimately resolved in

a final, full day of bargaining that lasted until early the next morning.

• Kaiser Permanente and the Coalition of Kaiser Permanent Unions. A team 

of FMCS mediators helped the parties reach agreement in the largest privatesector contract talks in the United States in 2015. The three-year, national 

contract covering 105,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers used an 

interest based bargaining model to develop new quality, safety, and affordability 

standards.

• United Steelworkers (USW) and U.S. Oil Facilities. For the first time in 35 

years, negotiations broke down between these parties and oil workers from 

coast to coast went on strike in February 2015. After agreement on national 

issues was reached, local negotiations faltered and work stoppages continued at 

a number of locations. FMCS mediators assisted in the settlement of all these 

disputes over several months.

• NY State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and NYC Hospital Alliance. A team 

of senior FMCS mediators helped the parties avoid what would have been the 

largest nurses' strike in New York City history.

• Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) / Pantex and the Amarillo Metal 

Trades Council. Pantex is the nation’s primary facility responsible for

production and maintenance of the U.S. nuclear warhead arsenal. Senior FMCS 

mediators helped the parties through lengthy and difficult talks until they 

reached agreement.

Managing Bargaining Challenges: Anticipating Major Contract Negotiations.

In 2017, FMCS expects to receive approximately 21,000 notices of expiring collective 

bargaining agreements. Some 250 of the known expiring contracts involve bargaining 

units of 1,000 members or more and represent a total of more than 1.1 million members.

Many of these expiring agreements are in key private sector industries, such as food 

service, manufacturing, construction, health care, sports, and entertainment.

• In March, 2016 contracts covering more than 40,000 supermarket workers in 

Southern California will expire. In October, 15,000 workers at Fry’s food 

stores in Arizona will likewise have their contract expire. On the East Coast, 

contracts for more than 20,000 workers at Giant and Safeway in the greater 

Baltimore, MD area will also expire at the end of that month. In the greater 

Atlanta, GA region, more than 11,000 Kroger workers will be renegotiating 

their contracts in March, 2017.

• On December 1, 2016 contracts covering the thirty clubs of Major League 

Baseball (MLB) will expire. Although these contracts include only 1,200 

players, the national impact of these negotiations includes tens of thousands of 
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restaurant, hotel, and other service and professional employees who earn their 

livings from the sport.

• Midwestern meatpacking facilities, including Cargill, Tyson, and National Beef 

will have contracts covering at least 7,000 expire in late December and early 

January, 2017.

• Major equipment manufacturers will also be renegotiating contracts in the 

spring. These include more than 4,500 Sikorsky workers in Florida and 9,600

Caterpillar workers in Peoria, IL. By the end of July, more than 8,000 

Goodyear Tire employees will also be looking for a new contract.

• Defense industries also face a number of large contract renegotiations in 2017.

In July, more than 11,000 workers at Newport News Shipbuilding will be 

renegotiating a new contract. In September, 1,500 workers at Lockheed Martin 

in New Jersey and 2,300 at Raytheon in Massachusetts will likewise be in 

negotiations.

• Health care facilities will also feature prominently in the years’ negotiations.

Approximately 15,000 Dignity Health employees in California will be seeking a 

new contact in April and more than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente employees at 

facilities in California will be renegotiating contracts in August and September, 

2017.

• Finally, 165,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of 

Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) will be renegotiating their 

contracts in June, 2017.

Appendix A contains a complete listing of these other large negotiations anticipated in 

2017.

Promoting Collaborative Solutions: Labor-Management Training

While the Agency’s first priority must always be to prevent or to promptly resolve 

labor disputes that could have an immediate adverse impact the U.S. economy, FMCS 

experience demonstrates the enormous value of training parties in the tools and 

techniques of collaboration and joint problem-solving well in advance of any contract 

dispute. In the private, public, and federal sectors, FMCS offers a wide range of 

programs designed to prevent workplace disputes and improve labor-management 

relationships by helping the parties develop collaborative, problem-solving approaches 

for managing conflict. Developed through decades of hands-on dispute resolution 

experience, the FMCS labor relations model encourages an ongoing, joint problemsolving approach characterized by open communications, respect, trust, and transparency.

In the private sector, this approach was best demonstrated recently by a specialized 

program FMCS delivered for the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Ford Motor 

Company (Ford) national negotiating committee. The UAW and Ford had previously 
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changed their approach to labor relations and bargaining as a result of the devastating 

impact of foreign competition on Ford products in the early part of this century. As a 

result, the company not only survived but even prospered following the Great Recession 

in large part because of the problem-solving, collaborative relationship the parties had 

spent years cultivating.

In anticipation of major contract negotiations in the summer of 2015 and high internal 

expectations resulting from the Company’s recovery, the UAW and Ford jointly 

approached FMCS to train their combined company-wide negotiations committee at a 

pre-bargaining conference, nine months before contract expiration. Both sides 

recognized that the 2015 round of bargaining could be especially contentious if their 

leadership throughout the country—not just at the national/corporate level—did not have 

additional training conducted by well-respected neutral experts in the collective 

bargaining process.

A team of FMCS mediators worked closely with the UAW and Ford to design a full 

day training program for 150 negotiation committee members. Twelve FMCS mediators,

divided into two-person teams, delivered five training modules. For each of the 

following modules, the concept was presented then followed by interactive exercises: (1) 

building trust and respect; (2) collaborative behavior and basic problem-solving 

approaches; (3) listening skills; (4) how to jointly collect facts and data; and (5) 

managing stakeholder expectations and social media. The program was so well-received 

that FMCS now offers a training program for bargaining committees modeled on the 

UAW-Ford training.

In the federal sector, FMCS will continue to build upon its important partnership with 

the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) to deliver training across the country on 

federal sector bargaining “Rights, Responsibilities, and Relationship-Building.” A recent

and well-received workshop involved the General Services Administration (GSA) and 

focused on the thorny recurrent issue of office relocations. FMCS is continuing to work 

with the FLRA to offer additional programs to reduce the conflict created by relocations 

and office space moves and to demonstrate how collaborative problem-solving 

techniques can enhance decision-making.

FMCS will also continue its important work promoting and supporting labormanagement collaboration throughout the federal government through the labor 

management forums mandated by Executive Order 13522 to “promote satisfactory labor 

relations and improve the productivity and effectiveness of the Federal Government.” In 

addition, the National Council on Federal Labor-Management Relations continues to call 

upon FMCS instructional design experts to develop and deliver interactive web-based 

training tools to improve forum performance. Since the President issued EO 13522 in 

late 2009, FMCS has provided over 270 Relationship, Development, and Training 

programs in support of labor-management cooperative efforts.

FMCS collaboration and training programs are highly sought in the public sector as 

well. For example, the City of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio recently approached FMCS about 

taking a more collaborative approach to bargaining and improving their overall labor-
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management relationship. FMCS mediators met with the parties, explained various 

collaborative bargaining models and trained the parties, at their request, in the Interest 

Based Bargaining (IBB) model. FMCS mediators provided additional training for 

committee members and have facilitated all committee meetings to date. Notably, 

these parties successfully addressed the often contentious issue of health care coverage, 

including, funding mechanisms, trends, wellness programs, and statutory requirements.

Promoting Collaborative Solutions: Labor-Management Grants

The Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978 created the FMCS grants program

and authorized appropriations of up to $10 million annually to finance this grant-making 

authority. The act directs FMCS to encourage and support joint labor-management 

activities conducted by plant, area, and industry-wide committees that are designed to 

improve labor-management relationships, competitiveness, economic development, and 

innovative joint approaches to achieving organizational effectiveness. Congress’ intent 

was for FMCS to use its grants program to support and expand upon the success of

locally created area labor-management committees.

Through its grants program FMCS provides support for plant, area, and industry-wide 

labor-management committees confronting a specific, definable problem for which they 

have developed a specific solution. FMCS intends that the funding it provides will seed 

innovative solutions through detailed, measurable, and benchmarked strategies identified 

in the grant application. The integrity of the grant funds are monitored through regular 

reviews, which include a local FMCS mediator assigned to the project, as well as 

monthly reporting to the grants manager. FMCS grantees are not permitted to use grant 

funds for training or other services available through FMCS’s appropriated programs.

Successful examples of past grants include:

• In 2002, FMCS funded a labor-management coalition in the Upper Midwest, 

working to address rising health care benefit costs in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and 

Iowa. The grant led to the formation of the Labor/Management Health Care 

Coalition of the Upper Midwest, a fund that today includes 24 Taft-Hartley 

health and welfare funds with more than 290,000 covered lives—many of them 

individuals who otherwise might not have health insurance.

• In 2005, FMCS funded GrowJobsCT, a state-wide labor management program 

created to retain and expand manufacturing jobs in Connecticut. The labormanagement partnership created with grant funding advanced educational and 

communications programs on manufacturing sector job creation for 

manufacturers, workers, media, and policy makers.

• In 2006, FMCS funded a project to increase the number of women and 

minorities in the skilled construction trades, as proposed by the Skilled Trades 

Diversity Council in Ithaca, New York. FMCS grant money helped to establish 

a pre-apprentice program with a focus on helping under-represented groups find 

skilled construction jobs. One female graduate founded and now runs her own 
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home repair business. As a result of the training, half of the graduates in the 

program’s second year found skilled jobs. The financial support provided by

FMCS enabled the council to secure other funding and to organize as a 

permanent program—ensuring that its good work on behalf of diversity would

continue.

• In 2007 and again in 2015, an FMCS grant supported the regional expansion of 

the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council (CMRC.) The effort by the 

Chicago Federation of Labor, the central AFL-CIO labor council in Cook 

County, and an alliance of businesses, workers, trade, and industry associations

developed collaborative efforts that improved and strengthened regional 

businesses.

For 2017, the President’s Budget seeks $5 million for the FMCS grants program, an 

increase of $4.6 million from 2016. This funding level marks a significant expansion of 

the program and is designed to use successful models to enable business and labor to 

jointly address the dramatic shifts in labor market trends to a more mobile workforce, a 

new generation of workers, and rapid advancement in technology-based work structures.

With additional funding, FMCS believes that it will be able to better respond to and 

appropriately provide support for initiatives designed to improve labor-management 

relationships at a moment when they are most needed. Enhanced funding will permit the 

wider use of time-tested, collaborative and cost-effective approaches for dealing with 

definable problems caused by the transitioning economy. Successful grantees, for 

example, will be able to create structures and mechanisms on an area- and/or industrywide basis to address structural or systemic problems.

The ongoing shift in labor market trends, coupled with the fact that significant labormanagement reform activity is taking place across industries and at the city, state, and 

regional level, requires greater efforts to coordinate activities and successfully prevent 

and manage the conflict that historically accompanies economic and technological 

change. Collaborative solutions, achieved through multi-stakeholder consensus and more 

permanent mechanisms for responding to workplace challenges as they arise are arguably 

more durable and cost effective than piecemeal approaches. With increased funding, 

FMCS believes that its grantees will have a greater capacity to meet their stated 

objectives and thus have a greater positive impact on labor-management relationships and 

the economic well-being of their communities. This change in focus to address 

community-wide and industry-wide challenges associated with the transitioning economy 

returns FMCS grant-making to a role originally contemplated by Congress in 1978.

Promoting Collaborative Solutions: Innovative Education and Outreach 

FMCS recognizes that just as technology has changed the workplace; it has also 

changed the delivery systems for workforce education and training. For this reason, 

FMCS will continue to make broad use of innovative web-based technologies, not only to 

deliver training, but also to share labor-management success stories with its customers.
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In early 2015, FMCS presented its second series of Conflict Resolution Week training 

programs with FMCS mediators delivering five webinars focused on “Maximizing 

Mediation.” These webinars provided over 400 widely dispersed participants from the 

private, public, and federal sectors with an opportunity to engage with FMCS mediators 

in real time and to learn about the mediation process, the role of the mediator, and best 

practices for improving outcomes. Post session evaluations confirmed the success of 

these webinars.

In 2017 FMCS will continue to build upon the success of the first two conflict 

resolution weeks, seeking to expand its audience and provide fresh and relevant 

programming. FMCS now offers periodic web-based “success stories” webinars 

highlighting the positive outcomes associated with FMCS conflict resolution services. In 

a cost-effective, web-based format, FMCS labor-management customers tell the story of 

their improved relationships and interact with the audience. These programs have 

become so popular that they are filling to capacity minutes after being announced. 

Indeed, the most recent event added a voice-only option to accommodate many more 

participants than expected and integrated an innovative “Live-Tweet Your Questions” 

option. Samplings of recent web-based outreach programming provided by FMCS 

mediators include:

• From Adversaries to Allies: An Interest-Based Bargaining Success Story. 

Described the journey of the Nevada Health District and SEIU 1107 from an 

adversarial relationship to one of mutual understanding and trust with the 

assistance of FMCS.

• Clearing the Deck: A Grievance Mediation Success Story. Described how 

NHS Human Services and AFSCME DC 88 in Philadelphia improved their 

labor-management relationship and learned to quickly resolve workplace 

conflict and potential collective bargaining disputes by utilizing grievance 

mediation as a tool for achieving voluntary settlement.

• FMCS Grievance Mediation: Solving Disputes & Improving Relationships. 

Described the process of grievance mediation and how parties might use this 

tool as a best practice for improved success in establishing better methods of 

communication and conflict management and to improve labor-management 

relations.

• Mediación Federal: Más que Solo Mediación. Developed for the Spanishspeaking labor-management community, this webinar, conducted entirely in 

Spanish by bilingual FMCS mediators, explained the role of the Agency, the 

process and benefits of mediation, FMCS services, and information on how to 

access them.

In addition to these remote, collaborative innovations, in 2016 FMCS will relaunch 

it’s highly acclaimed, National Labor-Management Conference (NLMC). The NLMC, 

held bi-annually from 1982 until 2008, successfully educated existing and prospective 

agency customers on cutting edge labor-management relationship building and dispute 
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resolution techniques as well as collaborative solutions to complex bargaining issues. In 

its first few years, the conference attracted hundreds of attendees from the labor relations 

community, eventually expanding into a 21⁄2-day conference drawing more than 1,500 

participants. FMCS NLMCs are known for providing high-quality, nationally known 

speakers and workshop presenters, and providing outstanding learning and networking 

opportunities for labor relations practitioners.

In response to significant expressions of interest from the labor relations community 

about reviving this event, FMCS will hold the 2016 NLMC in Chicago. The conference 

program will reflect the full range of issues and topics arising from the evolving 

workplace, while emphasizing FMCS messages on the value and benefits of labormanagement collaboration and cooperation. Multiple workshops will highlight 

individual partnership success stories, with presentations by the parties describing their 

experiences and lessons learned. Others will address current trends and issues the parties 

are confronting such as multi-generational workplaces, social media and implications for 

labor dispute resolution, alternative bargaining models, and recruitment and retention 

challenges. The conference strengthens agency ties with existing customers, who often 

are presenters, and creates new customers for FMCS services among attendees.

Finally, FMCS continues to innovate with the production of on-line interactive 

instructional tools designed to help FMCS customers more effectively utilize its services. 

Recent topics covered the on-line filing of statutorily required §8(d) notices of contract 

expiration, how to properly apply for a labor-management grant, and effectively using 

FMCS negotiated rulemaking support services.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services to Government

In addition to providing labor-management dispute resolution services, the 

Administrative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Negotiated Rulemakings Acts of 1996 call 

upon FMCS to assist federal, state, and government entities in resolving disputes arising 

under their jurisdictions. On a cost-reimbursable basis, FMCS provides a wide variety of 

professional services to more than 130 federal agencies and bureaus. These services 

include: mediating employment disputes and disputes involving administrative programs; 

training in the skills and procedures of alternative dispute resolution; consulting, 

evaluating, designing, and building capacity in conflict management systems; facilitating 

public policy and intra/inter-agency discussions; and developing tools for interagency and 

public-private cooperation and collaboration.

During 2015, FMCS provided negotiated rulemaking services to the U.S. Department 

of Energy (DOE), which had a goal of defining energy efficiency standards for 

manufactured housing. FMCS mediators helped a working group successfully develop 

the draft standards. Those involved praised the facilitators for having played a critical 

role in convening industry, efficiency advocates, and consumer interest groups to 

negotiate an all-encompassing new efficiency standard. The parties successfully 

concluded the draft rule in less than four months—a particularly impressive feat given 

that industry consensus on the rule had been elusive for several years.
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Also during 2015, in what has been hailed as the biggest energy-saving standards 

rulemaking in DOE history, FMCS assisted industry, government, and advocacy groups 

in achieving major new consensus energy standards for commercial heating and air 

conditioning equipment. The new standards have the potential to save nearly 15 

quadrillion BTUs (quads) of energy over 30 years and reduce energy consumption and 

costs by billions of dollars over the lifespan of the equipment. DOE has asked FMCS to 

facilitate three additional rulemakings in 2016.

In 2015, FMCS also provided training to more than 20 agencies in the skills and 

procedures of alternative dispute resolution. These trainings included an agency-wide 

effort to assist the Social Security Administration’s ADR program by training 6,000 

supervisors and managers in the effective utilization of ADR. Additionally, in 

conjunction with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Federal Executive 

Boards in Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Washington, and Baltimore, and other 

federal agencies, FMCS provided basic, advanced, and refresher mediation Skills training 

to more than 320 neutrals for the Federal Neutral Shared Services and other federal 

agency ADR programs. The training included more than 120 IRS agents from the IRS 

Office of Appeals.

Based upon its proven record of past successes and a growing interest from other 

federal agencies, FMCS also expects to increase its work with federal regulatory 

negotiations in 2017.

C. Internal Operations: Securing the Future of FMCS Together

In the past year, FMCS began the serious work of ensuring that it was a model of 

government efficiency, integrity, employee engagement, and customer service. Since the 

last in-depth examination of agency structure, management, and services occurred nearly 

20 years ago, FMCS began the year with a new initiative called “Securing the Future of 

FMCS Together.” The purpose of the initiative was to engage all FMCS employees in 

mapping a path forward.

This initiative was particularly timely because, like many federal agencies, FMCS was 

experiencing many challenges related to employee recruitment, training, and retention. 

Two areas in particular raised concerns that FMCS was not fully prepared and positioned 

for the future.

Relating to personnel issues, FMCS had experienced three consecutive years of 

significant mediator retirements. In 2015 alone, FMCS lost 18 mediators to retirement 

with more than 379 years of combined mediation experience. In response, FMCS had 

recruited, on-boarded, and began training 18 new mediators, or slightly more than 

10 percent of its mediator workforce. Training new mediators is a labor-intensive 

process, involving five weeks of formal classroom training and between six and 24 

months of on-the-job training and job shadowing. Bringing a large number of new 

employees without previous federal experience into any organization presents challenges 

but it also provides an opportunity to create a consistent operating culture.
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In its physical operations, FMCS is facing its most significant challenge of the past 40 

years. In early FY 2017, the FMCS national office will be relocating from its longstanding address at 2100 K Street, NW in Washington, D.C. due to the planned 

demolition of the building it currently occupies. FMCS is taking the opportunity that the 

move presents by expanding its training and mediation space, shrinking the footprint that 

its support operations requires, and rethinking how employees can work together more 

effectively.

Embracing these challenges, the Securing the Future initiative centers around five 

themes: creating structural integrity and operational consistency; increasing compliance 

and strengthening internal controls; reforming hiring practices and managing 

performance; promoting employee engagement; and modernizing communications with 

customers.

FMCS is using the results of the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) 

to help guide this initiative. The FEVS results have consistently recognized FMCS as 

one of the best places to work in the federal government, including a second place finish 

in calendar year 2014 and a first place finish in 2015 among small agencies. The survey 

also designated FMCS as one of the “most innovative” federal agencies, rating highly 

among 371 federal agencies and subcomponents for fostering innovation and motivating 

employees to develop new ideas on the job. Nevertheless, FMCS is focusing on areas of 

lower scoring to inform improvements across all areas of its internal operations.

Creating Structural Integrity and Operational Consistency

With the goal of ensuring structural integrity and creating operational consistency, 

FMCS reorganized the agency management structure to ensure better integration between 

field and national office operations. It is currently reviewing and revising standard 

operating procedures across the agency, has tasked a working group with developing 

succession planning guidelines, and is reviewing field office utilization for efficiency and 

cost-effectiveness.

FMCS continues to employ a well-developed system for evaluating the distribution 

and effectiveness of its field office staff and offices. This evaluation occurs on an annual 

basis and as retirements and attrition present opportunities for non-disruptive realignment 

of its personnel. With the majority of its employees involved in direct program 

delivery—175 employees (75 percent of its workforce) distributed across 67 field 

stations—FMCS makes sure to place employees in areas where they can provide the 

greatest benefit at the least cost. FMCS will continue to use a workload evaluation model 

to determine trends in specific field stations. The results help ensure that decisions to fill 

vacant mediator positions reflect the current and potential demand for FMCS services.

Increasing Compliance and Strengthening Internal Controls

In 2015, FMCS created a new position, Manager of National Office Operations, to 

oversee all administrative functions of FMCS. A critical part of the effort to improve 

compliance is the learning management system (LMS) that FMCS procured in 2015. The 

LMS tracks and records each employee’s completion of mandatory training, receipt of 
14

internal memos, and other professional development activities. This system will provide 

critical support to insure that FMCS employees are continuing the culture of innovation 

and creativity necessary for the success of the FMCS mission.

For its financial operations, FMCS hired a new finance director to update FMCS 

policies, strengthen and document its internal controls, and update staff skills.

Strengthened financial policies and procedures, uniformly applied, will improve FMCS’s

ability to transparently demonstrate effective and efficient use of public resources. Also 

in 2015, FMCS contracted with the National Archives and Records Administration 

(NARA) to review its records keeping policies and systems and in 2016 will complete 

staff training on the new policies and procedures recommended by NARA. Finally, 

FMCS is currently reviewing and updating, as necessary, all internal policy statements 

(FMCS Directives). By 2017, FMCS expects to have reaped the benefit of these 

initiatives and strengthened its performance in all of these areas.

Reforming Hiring Practices and Managing Performance

Small agencies often face a challenge in attracting talented job applicants. By 2017,

and in the ensuing years, FMCS seeks to position itself as one of the most desirable 

places to work in government in order to attract the widest, most diverse, and best 

qualified applicants and to retain the best and most effective workforce. To this end, in 

2015, FMCS hired a new human resources director with years of high-level experience at 

Department of Navy and specialized OPM staffing experience. The new director is in the 

process of completely revamping and modernizing the FMCS HR office. Improvements 

to date include: OPM granting FMCS delegated hiring authority; FMCS being the first 

agency to beta test and use the new USA Staffing system; developing and implementing 

consistent on-boarding and mentoring practices across its operations; and reviewing and 

revising employee position descriptions and performance standards.

As previously mentioned, FMCS has experienced a significant number of retirements 

and, consequently, new mediator hiring. This turnover places greater emphasis on 

training and institutional knowledge transfer. Training this geographically dispersed 

workforce in new mediation techniques has in the past proven both expensive and timeconsuming. In 2017, FMCS will expand upon the initial success of a new internal 

training platform for employees that it calls its Virtual Academy. This “academy” 

leverages new internet-based technologies to provide FMCS employees with on-demand 

programs and live webinars that sharpen their skills, develop expertise in new and 

complex areas, and help share institutional knowledge and best practices through 

mediator “success stories” and experiences with colleagues.

FMCS employees find that the Virtual Academy fits easily into their busy and everchanging schedules and is also extremely cost effective, reducing or limiting the need for 

FMCS mediators to travel to regional training sites. Recent offerings have focused on 

timely topics such as health care bargaining and the Affordable Care Act. This format 

also allows for mediator-to-mediator peer sharing of institutional knowledge critical for 

diffusion of information and innovation. Appendix B contains a full list of the 2015 

academy offerings.
15

Promoting Employee Engagement

Employee engagement is a process designed to ensure that employees are committed 

to their organization’s goals and values, motivated to contribute to organizational 

success, and are simultaneously able to enhance their own sense of well-being. To meet 

its employee engagement goals for 2017, FMCS is currently pursuing the following 

objectives: encouraging diverse viewpoints, feedback, and innovation; practicing open 

communications; and increasing transparency.

FMCS is using a number of strategies to achieve its objectives including, among other 

things: regular communications from the Director; daily internal and external news 

roundups; quarterly Virtual Town Hall Meetings; regular newsletters featuring up-to-date 

information about significant cases and training programs; regular meetings between the 

Agency Director, managers, and staff, including a series of first ever Virtual Mediator 

Roundtables between the Director and all agency mediators; instituting monthly meetings 

with national office managers to discuss upcoming needs, goals, action plans and 

deliverables; providing field directors with opportunities for regular information 

exchange and collaboration; and a reinvigorated labor-management forum to 

constructively engage the FMCS unionized workforce on a regular basis.

Modernizing Communications with Customers

FMCS strives to provide high-quality high-value services to its customers in order to 

meet and fulfill its statutory mission. Equally important is FMCS’s commitment to using 

allocated resources as efficiently as possible in order to ensure that customers and 

taxpayers receive the most value for the services it provides. In 2015, FMCS created a 

new position, Manager for National Programs and Initiatives, to lead a new center of 

creativity and innovation for all areas of service delivery.

In 2015, FMCS also revamped and updated agency technology to better serve current 

and future customers, including: launching a new public website; using social media 

(Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube) to communicate with customers and employees; and 

using a new email service delivery system designed to reach larger audiences with 

information about upcoming live and web-based conflict resolution presentations and 

training events. By the end of 2017, FMCS expects to have an effective and modern 

communications strategy in place that clearly communicates the positive benefits of 

FMCS services.

D. Conclusion

The U.S. economy is in a period of transition from a manufacturing based economy to 

one that is more service and knowledge based. While this transformation presents great 

opportunities, it also presents the challenge of increased workplace conflict as workers 

and businesses grapple with issues of technology, automation, competition, skills, and 

cost-cutting. Workplace disputes are arising in both traditional labor-management 

collective bargaining settings, as well as in high profile social media and community 

based campaigns for improved wages and working conditions.
16

Over nearly seven decades, the FMCS has compiled a proud record of success in 

helping parties resolve disputes, learn joint problem-solving skills, and create successful, 

collaborative problem-solving relationships. As the nature, complexity, and range of the 

issues confronting managers and employees in business and government have evolved, so 

too has FMCS, constantly seeking new and innovative methods to prevent disruptions to 

the U.S. economy, to reduce costs to U.S. taxpayers, and, most importantly, to help 

managers and workers together overcome the challenges of the changing economy in 

business and government workplaces.

Given the anticipated size and number of collective bargaining agreements expiring in 

FY 2017, the increased demands for collective bargaining among workers in new and 

previously unorganized sectors of the economy, the new forms of bargaining that are 

emerging in communities and across industries, and the increased need for labor and 

management to work collaboratively to achieve competitiveness, economic development 

and job security, we urge you to favorably consider this request for $50,738,000. This 

reflects the elimination of the one-time relocation costs provided in the 2016 

appropriation, inflationary increases to cover pay, rent, and a proposed expansion in the 

agency’s labor-management grants to support area- and industry-wide labor-management 

partnerships.
17

II. FMCS Organizational Chart

Director

Deputy Director

Alternative Dispute 

Resolution & 

International Services 

Public Affairs EEO General

Counsel

Manager of 

Field Operations

Manager of National 

Office Operations

Budget

Reg. 01 (Woodbridge, NJ)

Reg. 02 (Philadelphia, PA)

Reg. 03 (Pittsburgh, PA)

Reg. 04 (Cleveland, OH)

Reg. 05 (Nashville, TN)

Reg. 06 (St. Louis, MO)

Reg. 07 (Seattle, WA)

Reg. 08 (Los Angeles, CA)

Reg. 09 (Chicago, IL)

Reg. 10 (Minneapolis, MN)

Human

Resources 

Procurement & 

Operational Services 

Education & Training,

FMCS Institute

Field Programs & 

Innovation

Manager of National 

Programs & Initiatives

Information

Technology

Office of

Ethics

Finance 

Notice Processing & 

Arbitration

Chief Financial

Officer

As of Feb. 1, 2016
18

III. Appropriation Language

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service 

(‘Service’) to carry out the functions vested in it by the Labor-Management Relations 

Act, 1947, including hire of passenger motor vehicles; for expenses necessary for the 

Labor-Management Cooperation Act of 1978; and for expenses necessary for the Service 

to carry out the functions vested in it by the Civil Service Reform Act, [$48,748,000] 

$50,738,000, including up to [$400,000] $5,000,000 to remain available through 

September 30, [2017] 2018, for activities authorized by the Labor-Management 

Cooperation Act of 1978: Provided, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, fees charged, 

up to full-cost recovery, for special training activities and other conflict resolution 

services and technical assistance, including those provided to foreign governments and 

international organizations, and for arbitration services shall be credited to and merged 

with this account, and shall remain available until expended: Provided further, That fees 

for arbitration services shall be available only for education, training, and professional 

development of the agency workforce: Provided further, That the Director of the Service 

is authorized to accept and use on behalf of the United States gifts of services and real, 

personal, or other property in the aid of any projects or functions within the Director’s 

jurisdiction. (Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016)
19

IV. Statutory and Other Legal Authority

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service was established by Title II of the 

Labor-Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley) in 1947 as an independent agency of the 

federal government whose primary mission is to prevent and minimize labormanagement disputes affecting interstate commerce by providing mediation, conciliation, 

and voluntary arbitration services. All mediation and conciliation functions of the 

secretary of labor and the United States Conciliation Service were transferred to FMCS at 

that time. This mission includes both the private and public sectors, except for the 

railroad and airline industries, which are covered by the Railway Labor Act administered 

by the National Mediation Board.

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 authorized FMCS to assist with dispute 

resolution in federal sector labor disputes. The Labor-Management Cooperation Act 

amended the Taft-Hartley Act in 1978 and directed FMCS to encourage labormanagement cooperative activities. It also authorized the issuance of grants to support 

joint labor-management activities conducted by plant, area, public sector, and industrywide committees.

In 1990, FMCS was authorized by the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act and the 

Negotiated Rulemaking Act to assist other federal agencies in resolving disputes arising 

out of grants, contracts, licenses, or other agency administrative actions, and to assist in 

the process of negotiated rulemaking. The Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 

1996 amended and permanently reenacted these 1990 Acts.

Over the years, Congress and the Executive Branch have authorized FMCS to 

perform a variety of dispute resolution functions as well as to assist in the improvement 

of labor-management relationships. Specific statutory and other authorizations of FMCS 

programs are described below.

I. The Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 (Public Law 80-101, as 

amended, 29 U.S.C. 158(d), 173 et seq.) directs FMCS to prevent or minimize 

interruptions to the free flow of commerce growing out of labor disputes by 

helping the parties settle such disputes through mediation. Parties are required 

to notify the FMCS 30 days prior to a contract termination or modification 

date so that mediation services may be proffered.

The Act establishes a special procedure for threatened or actual strikes which, 

in the opinion of the President, imperil the national health or safety. In such 
20

situations, the President may appoint a board of inquiry to ascertain the facts 

with respect to the dispute. After receipt of a report, the President may seek to 

enjoin the strike, and a court may do so if it finds that the threatened or actual 

strike or lockout affects a substantial part or all of an industry and would 

imperil the national health or safety. 29 U.S.C. 176-178.

II. The Health Care Amendments of 1974 (Public Law 93-360, 29 U.S.C. 

158(d) (4), (4)(A)-(4)(C)) (amending the National Labor Relations Act) 

include special provisions intended to prevent or minimize work stoppages in 

the health care industry. In the case of this industry, FMCS must be notified 

60 days before the contract termination date. A 30-day notice is required in 

initial bargaining situations. If, in the opinion of the Director, a strike is 

threatened which would interrupt the delivery of health care in aity, the 

Director may appoint a board of inquiry. 29 U.S.C. 183. The board has 15 

days within which to investigate and file its report and recommendations; 

parties must maintain the status quo for 15 days thereafter while further 

negotiations and mediation take place. The parties are required to cooperate 

in any mediation efforts by FMCS.

III. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-454, 5 U.S.C. 7119(a))

directs the FMCS to provide mediation assistance in disputes arising from 

negotiations between federal agencies and the representatives of their 

employees.

IV. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-

435, as amended, 39 U.S.C. 1207) requires FMCS to provide mediation 

services and assist in establishing arbitration boards in collective bargaining 

disputes between the Postal Service and the exclusive representatives of its 

employees.

V. An Act to Establish Dispute Resolution Procedures to Settle Disputes 

Between Supervisors and the United States Postal Service, 1980 (Public Law 

96-326, as amended, 39 U.S.C. 1004) directs FMCS, upon the request of 

either the Postal Service or an organization representing its supervisors, to 

convene fact finding panels to recommend supervisory pay and fringe benefit 

policies and to create panels to review the effectiveness of these procedures 

and other employment policies.

VI. Presidential Statement, March 24, 1953. The Atomic Energy LaborManagement Relations Panel was established within FMCS in March 1953, 

by President Eisenhower, in order to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of 

the atomic energy program without strikes or lockouts due to labormanagement disputes. This panel was moved to the Atomic Energy 

Commission in March 1956 but was returned to FMCS under an inter-agency 

agreement with the Department of Energy in April 1980 and renamed the 

Energy Labor Management Relations Panel (ELMRP).
21

VII. Executive Order 11374, October 11, 1967, transferred the responsibilities of 

the Missile Sites Labor Commission (created by Executive Order 10946) to 

provide priority resolution of labor disputes at missile sites to FMCS.

VIII. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1978, (Public Law 

95-396, as amended, 7 U.S.C. 136a(c)(l)(F)(iii)) requires FMCS to provide for 

the appointment of arbitrators to decide disputes concerning compensation for 

the use or development of pesticide registration data.

IX. The Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (Public Law 101-552, as 

amended by Public Law 95-524, 29 U.S.C. 175a, 186(c)(9)) added Sections

205A and 302(c)(9) to the Labor-Management Relations Act and authorizes 

and directs FMCS to encourage and support joint labor-management activities 

conducted by plant, area, and industry-wide committees designed to improve 

labor-management relationships, employment security, and organizational 

effectiveness. The Act authorizes the Service to provide grant funds to assist 

in the establishment and operation of these labor-management committees.

X. The Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-320) 

(ADRA) authorizes and encourages agencies to use various alternative means 

of dispute resolution in the federal administrative process in order to avoid the 

time and expense of litigation. The ADRA amended, permanently enacted,

and incorporated into the Administrative Procedure Act, the Administrative 

Dispute Resolution Act provisions (5 U.S.C. 571 et seq.) and the Negotiated 

Rulemaking Act provisions (5 U.S.C. 561, et seq.) of 1990 legislation. These

provisions and their predecessors suggest that the ADR and regulatorynegotiation “experiments” have become well-accepted processes of federal 

agencies. The ADRA encourages the development of guidelines to expedite 

the selection of neutrals and to facilitate the use of alternative dispute 

resolution in the federal government.

This legislation also amends the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 

(Taft-Hartley) by permanently adding Section 173(f) of Title 29 of the United 

States Code (29 U.S.C. 173(f)) so that FMCS may provide all forms of ADR 

assistance to federal agencies. Under this legislation, FMCS continues to 

assist agencies in negotiated rulemaking processes as well as other ADR 

procedures by providing training, facilitation, mediation, and other neutral 

skills.

XI. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations at 45 CFR 90.43(c)(3), issued by the 

Department of Health and Human Services, implementing its authority under 

the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., authorizes FMCS 

to provide mediation assistance for the resolution of age-discrimination 

charges filed against any agency receiving federal financial assistance to any 

program or activity.
22

XII. The Federal Aviation Reauthorization Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-264, as 

amended by Public Laws 106-181 and 112-95, 49 U.S.C. 40122(a)) directs the 

administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the exclusive 

bargaining representative of its employees to use FMCS, or a mutually agreed 

upon alternative, to mediate disputes concerning changes to the FAA’s 

personnel management system or the parties’ collective bargaining agreement.

If mediation is unsuccessful, FMCS is required to prepare a list of 15 qualified 

arbitrators, from which 2 will be selected by the parties and a third by the 

board, to form an arbitration board. This board will render a final and binding 

determination.

XIII. The Veterans Health Care Capital Asset and Business Improvement Act of 

2003 (Public Law 108-170, as amended by Public Law 111-163, 38 U.S.C. 

7403 (h)(4)(C)) gives the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the exclusive 

representative of the affected employees the option of requesting the services 

of FMCS to assist the parties in reaching an agreement regarding disputes 

with respect to any system of promotion and advancement proposed by the 

Secretary.

XIV. Executive Order 13522 (Creating Labor-Management Forums To Improve 

Delivery of Government Services), December 9, 2009, continued by 

Executive Order 13591 and 13652 until September 30, 2015, permits FMCS 

to furnish assistance to the National Council on Federal Labor-Management 

Relations, including training for executive departments and agencies in 

establishing labor-management forums and pilot projects to identify problems 

and negotiate solutions without regard to whether the matters are subject to 

bargaining (permissive subjects) under the Federal Service Labor-Relations 

Statute.

XV. The Transportation Security Administration Determination, “Transportation 

Security Officers and Collective Bargaining,” February 4, 2011, requires the 

facilitation of collective bargaining negotiations by FMCS or other agreedupon entity, and requires TSA and the unions subject to bargaining to attend 

training in interest-based negotiations conducted by FMCS.
23

V. Budget Tables and Detailed Financial Requirements

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

BUDGET AND STAFFING BY ACTIVITY

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017

Total Program

Increase or (Decrease)

Actual Enacted Request 2016 to 2017

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

1. Collective Bargaining and 

Grievance Mediations 

(Dispute), Relationship 

Development Training 

(Preventive), and Outreach 

(Public Information) Workloads 172 $35,548 177 $36,563 177 $36,719 0 156

2. Arbitration Services....................... 8 709 8 672 8 672 0 0

3. National Office Support and 

Operational Support .................... 38 9,009 42 11,113 42 8,347 0 (2,766)

4. Labor-Management Grants............ 0 400 0 400 0 5,000 0 4,600

Sub-Total Appropriated 218 $45,666 227 $48,748 227 $50,738 0 $1,990
24

BUDGET AND STAFFING BY ACTIVITY

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017

Total Program

Increase or (Decrease)

Actual Enacted Request 2016 to 2017

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

Full-Time 

Equivalent 

Employment

Budget 

Authority

5. Reimbursable programs: ADR 

Services, Employment 

Mediation, International 

Training, and Institute Courses.... 8 $1,910 9 $2,100 9 $2,100 0 $0

6. FMCS Internal Training and 

Education..................................... 1 950 1 950 1 950 0 0

Sub-Total Reimbursable 9 $2,860 10 $3,050 10 $3,050 0 0

TOTAL RESOURCES 227 $48,526 237 $51,798 237 $53,788 0 $1,990
25

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Personnel Compensation $25,661 $24,992 $26,464 $26,938 $474

Full-time permanent 25,305 24,625 25,928 26,163 235

- Full-time permanent positions 25,305 24,625 25,928 26,163 235

Other than full-time permanent 61 68 237 240 3

- Other than full-time permanent positions 61 68 237 240 3

Other Personnel Compensation 295 299 299 299 0

- Overtime & holiday pay 11 15 15 15 0

- Cash incentive awards 284 284 284 284 0

Personnel Benefits $7,570 $7,848 $8,321 $8,311 $(10)

Civilian Personnel Benefits 7,570 7,848 8,321 8,311 (10)

- CSRS Retirement Contribution 156 136 131 127 (4)

- FERS Retirement Contribution 2,652 2,911 3,033 3,080 47

- Federal Retirement Thrift Savings Plan Contribution 1,070 1,070 1,118 1,149 31

- Group life insurance 45 49 49 49 0

- Health Insurance Contribution 1,644 1,682 1,791 1,828 37

- OASDI – FERS 1,304 1,325 1,409 1,458 49

- Employee compensation 302 285 304 239 (65)

- Relocation expenses (PCS) 0 0 100 0 (100)
26

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Personnel Benefits (continued)

Civilian Personnel Benefits (continued)

- Cost-of-living allowance 15 15 16 16 0

- Subsidy for commuting costs 35 35 35 35 0

- Medicare contribution 347 340 335 330 (5)

Benefits of Former Personnel $16 $0 $0 $0 $0

- Unemployment compensation 16 0 0 0 0

- Voluntary separation incentive 0 0 0 0 0

Travel and Transportation of Persons $1,590 $1,708 $1,703 $1,703 $0

- National office travel 148 183 184 184 0

- Official car 4 5 5 5 0

- Field office travel 1,438 1,520 1,514 1,514 0

Transportation of Things $0 $0 $0 $0 $0

- Transportation of household goods (PCS) 0 0 0 0 0

Rents, Communications, and Utilities $6,319 $6,501 $6,718 $6,732 $14

Rental Payments to GSA 5,569 5,780 5,985 5,999 14

- Rental payments to GSA 5,569 5,780 5,985 5,999 14
27

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Rents, Communications, and Utilities (continued)

Rental Payments to Others 3 7 7 7 0

- Conference room rental 3 7 7 7 0

Communications, Utilities, and Miscellaneous 747 714 726 726 0

- Reproduction equipment rental 0 0 0 0 0

- Miscellaneous charges 2 0 5 5 0

- Audio-visual equipment rental 0 0 3 3 0

- GSA Phones 156 150 150 150 0

- FTS Phones 25 24 28 28 0

- Commercial Phones 185 180 180 180 0

- Data communication services 353 320 320 320 0

- Postal services and rentals 26 40 40 40 0

Printing and Reproduction $23 $40 $40 $40 $0

- FMCS forms and other printing 23 40 40 40 0

Other Contractual Services $2,075 $3,677 $4,602 $1,750 $(2,852)

Advisory and Assistance Service 35 50 59 59 0

- Computer assisted legal research 14 10 13 13 0

- OPM background investigations 16 36 36 36 0

- Office equipment and machinery relocation 5 4 10 10 0
28

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Other Contractual Services (continued)

Other Services 731 618 461 461 0

- Management and professional services 726 613 456 456 0

- Official representation fund 5 5 5 5 0

Other purchases of goods and services 273 252 275 275 0

- Guard security and Federal Protective Services 273 252 275 275 0

Operation and Maintenance of Facilities 30 1,860 2,882 30 (2,852)

- Office repairs and alterations 30 60 30 30 0

- National Office moving (cabling, furniture, fixtures, 

equipment, and IT) 1,800 2,852 0 (2,852)

Medical Care 12 15 15 15 0

- Medical care 12 15 15 15 0

Operation and Maintenance of Equipment 994 882 910 910 0

- Maintenance of office equipment 114 100 100 100 0

- Maintenance of information technology equipment 255 265 360 360 0

- Information technology support services 594 468 400 400 0

- Support of payroll/personnel operations 31 49 50 50 0

- Household goods storage (PCS) 0 0 0 0 0
29

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Supplies and Materials $213 $230 $230 $230 $0

- Office supplies and materials 114 150 150 150 0

- Information technology supplies and materials 99 80 80 80 0

Equipment $1,282 $270 $270 $270 $0

- Furniture and fixtures 365 80 120 120 0

- Information technology hardware/software 877 150 150 150 0

- Machinery and equipment 40 40 0 0 0

Grants, Subsidies and Contributions $400 $400 $400 $5,000 $4,600

0

Sub-total appropriated $45,149 $45,666 $48,748 $50,738 $1,990
30

BUDGET ESTIMATES FISCAL YEAR 2017

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS

(in thousands of dollars)

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 2016 to 2017

Actual Actual Enacted Request Change (+/-)

Reimbursable Programs (non-appropriated) $1,462 $1,910 $2,100 $2,100 $0

- Compensation 811 800 940 949 9

- Benefits 217 230 300 303 3

- Travel 209 245 336 324 (12)

- Communications 5 4 3 3 0

- Other contractual services 214 621 511 511 0

- Supplies and materials 6 10 10 10 0

Sub-total of Reimbursable Programs $1,462 $1,910 $2,100 $2,100 $0

Internal Training and Education (non-appropriated) 655 950 950 950 0

- Compensation 132 135 142 144 2

- Benefits 43 42 45 46 1

- Seminars, workshops, conferences and training 191 332 337 337 0

- New mediator costs 107 189 133 133 0

- Tuition 80 90 115 115 0

- Other contractual services 24 65 75 72 (3)

- Supplies & materials 2 19 10 10 0

- Subscriptions 76 78 93 93 0

Sub-total of FMCS Training and Education $655 $950 $950 $950 $0

Sub-total of non-appropriated (reimbursable $2,117 $2,860 $3,050 $3,050 $0

TOTAL RESOURCES $47,266 $48,526 $51,798 $53,788 $1,990
31

FEDERAL MEDIATION AND CONCILIATION SERVICE

Detail of Total Employment – End of Year

2015 2016 2017

Actual Enacted Requested

Executive Level III.......................................... 1 1 1

ES.................................................................... 2 3 3

Subtotal............................................ 3 4 4

GS-15 .............................................................. 25 25 25

GS-14 .............................................................. 125 129 128

GS-13 .............................................................. 36 38 36

GS-12 .............................................................. 6 5 8

GS-11 .............................................................. 5 2 2

GS-10 .............................................................. 0 2 2

GS-9 ................................................................ 5 5 5

GS-8 ................................................................ 11 15 15

GS-7 ................................................................ 8 5 5

GS-6 ................................................................ 3 7 7

GS-5 ................................................................ 0 0 0

GS-4 ................................................................ 0 0 0

GS-3 ................................................................ 0 0 0

GS-2 ................................................................ 0 0 0

Subtotal ............................................ 224 233 233

Total employment, end of year..................... 227 * 237 ** 237 **

Full-time equivalent (FTE) usage................. 227 * 237 ** 237 **

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Average ES Salary .......................................... $167,221 $169,394 $171,596

Average GS Level ........................................... 13.07 12.96 12.94

Average GS Salary .......................................... $112,888 $113,100 $114,290

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* 9 FTE funded by reimbursable revenue.

** 10 FTE funded by reimbursable revenue
32

VI. Mission and Program Structure

Congress established the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) in 1947 

through the Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley) amendments to the National 

Labor Relations Act (NLRA) as an independent agency whose mission is “to assist 

parties to labor disputes in industries affecting commerce to settle such disputes through 

conciliation and mediation.” Subsequent acts of Congress and presidential orders have 

expanded the FMCS role to provide mediation services to the federal sector and 

alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs to federal government agencies, as well as 

promote and establish labor-management partnerships.

The FMCS commits to:

• Promoting the development of sound and stable labor-management relationships;

• 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 process for settling disputes between employer 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.

For more than 65 years, FMCS has provided services that embrace this mission and 

demonstrate its commitment to preventing or minimizing interruptions of the free flow of 

commerce growing out of labor disputes. As labor-management relationships have 

evolved over time, so, too, has the nature of FMCS work within collective bargaining 

relationships. The FMCS today provides a range of services to labor and management, 

such as relationship-development training and training in interest-based bargaining, to 

help the parties deal effectively with disputes that may arise between them without 

resorting to work stoppages. The following section describes FMCS’s comprehensive 

package of core programs and services.
33

A. Collective Bargaining Mediation

Through collective bargaining mediation, FMCS helps avert or minimize the cost of 

work stoppages to the U.S. economy. The FMCS’s core work is to mediate collective 

bargaining negotiations for initial contract negotiations—which take place between an 

employer and a newly certified or recognized union representing its employees—and for 

negotiations for successor collective bargaining agreements. FMCS provides mediation 

services to the private sector, and also to the public sector, including federal agencies, 

and state and local governments.

During mediation, the mediator’s task is to identify alternative solutions and 

compromises, encourage settlement where appropriate, control the critical timing of 

offers, and persuade the parties to honestly discuss their differences. In FY 2015, FMCS 

mediators were actively involved in more than 3,700 collective bargaining contract 

negotiations in every major industry throughout the United States.

B. Grievance Mediation

Grievance mediation involves the use of a neutral party to mediate disputes that may 

arise over the terms and conditions of a collective bargaining agreement. FMCS 

mediators provide this service to the private and public sectors with the goal of 

preventing unresolved contract interpretation issues from spilling over into future 

contract negotiations. Lengthening contract terms increase the importance of resolving 

contentious issues arising during the term of a contract. In FY 2015, FMCS mediated 

more than 1,600 grievance mediation cases and helped the parties reach agreement in 

1,200 of these (73 percent).

C. Relationship-Development and Training

Preventing conflict that may arise during the term of a collective bargaining 

agreement is another important goal of FMCS. The FMCS’s relationship-building 

training programs are designed to improve labor-management relationships by helping 

labor and management to develop collaborative problem-solving approaches. Use of 

these programs better enables the parties to jointly respond to rapidly changing business 

and economic conditions during the term of the contract and also make future mediation 

efforts more effective.

In FY 2015, FMCS mediators conducted more than 1,900 training programs with

collective bargaining partners.

FMCS relationship-development and training programs include:

• Alternative Bargaining Training. Teaches the benefits and techniques of a 

non-adversarial, joint problem-solving approach to negotiation. In addition to 

the Interest-Based Bargaining process, various models include:

o The Affinity Model of Collaborative Economic Bargaining. The Affinity 

Model is a facilitation tool that can be applied immediately to deal with 

distributive economic issues in an integrative and collaborative setting. The 
34

Affinity Model of bargaining has been used with a great success in a variety 

of industries and sectors such as K-12 Education and the Performing Arts.

o Critical Issues Bargaining (CIB). CIB is a hybrid collaborative bargaining 

model which encourages information- sharing and interest-based problemsolving to resolve issues, and which then provides a built-in transition to 

traditional bargaining for unresolved and other critical issues. Prior to 

bargaining, parties present their economic forecast/projections/parameters.

FMCS has developed other alternative bargaining models for training parties

to enhance problem-solving and mitigate adversarial relationships. These

include: Enhanced Conventional Negotiations (ECN); Compressed Bargaining 

(CB); and Modified Traditional Bargaining (MTB).

• Relationship by Objective. Improves the parties’ relationship with one 

another, particularly where the relationship has worsened after a contentious 

representation election, initial contract negotiation, or strike.

• Committee Effectiveness Training. Assists the parties in developing joint 

labor-management committees designed to bring the parties into regular 

communication.

• Partners in Change. Explores the organization’s current culture, identifies 

perceptions within the organization, creates a vision for the future, and designs 

systems that effectuate change.

• Labor-Management Work-Site Committee Training. Helps labormanagement committees extend to the work-site level, forming work-site 

committees, group interactions, and learning techniques to manage change.

• Contract Administration/Steward-Supervisor Training. Trains front-line 

supervisors and shop stewards on their roles and responsibilities in contract 

administration, grievance processing, the arbitration procedure, and 

interpersonal communications for building cooperative relationships.

• Cultural Awareness Skills for Labor and Management. Trains the parties to 

function in a multicultural work setting including the resolution of cross-cultural 

conflicts in a workplace.

• Collective Bargaining and Mediation Training. Trains the parties on 

effective negotiation and communication skills.

D. Conflict Resolution and ADR Services for Government

Outside the collective bargaining arena, FMCS provides professional services to a 

wide range of federal, state, and government agencies. With a mandate to resolve 

disputes, train persons in skills and procedures employed in alternative means of dispute 

resolution design conflict management systems, build capacity for constructive conflict 

management, and strengthen inter-agency and public-private cooperation, FMCS seeks to

reduce litigation costs and to promote better government decision-making.
35

In this context, FMCS provided conflict management and ADR services more than 

1,100 times in FY 2015. These services included negotiation, mediation, convening, 

facilitation, training, and systems design. FMCS provides these ADR services to federal 

agencies and to state and governments on a cost-reimbursable basis:

• Workplace and Employment Disputes. FMCS mediates workplace and 

employment disputes for federal and state agencies. The majority of these 

disputes concern claims of employment discrimination (EEO), other types of 

personnel issues and workplace conflicts. FMCS accepts individual and multiparty conflicts for mediation.

• Disputes Involving Administrative Programs. FMCS also mediates disputes 

between agencies and their “regulated public,” such as whistleblower 

complaints or disputes involving contracts, grants, licenses, enforcement, and 

administrative programs.

• Training Persons in the Skills and Procedures Employed in Alternative 

Means of Dispute Resolution. FMCS also provides training in conflict 

resolution to aid in the effective use of alternative dispute resolution throughout 

the federal government. To that end, FMCS offers both live and web-based 

training on a variety of topics. 

• Consultation, Evaluation, and Systems Design. FMCS provides professional 

conflict resolution specialists to help agencies design conflict prevention and 

resolution systems to build capacity for constructive conflict management 

systems. Systems design may include an initial consultation, an assessment, 

program design and development, training delivery, and program management 

follow-up.

• Facilitation during Decision-Making. Particularly in times of limited budgets, 

FMCS facilitation services can help agencies achieve cost-savings when 

decision-making is delegated to a committee, task force, or other type of group.

FMCS facilitation services, including consultation, convening, training, and the 

actual facilitation, help groups accomplish their tasks within specified time 

frames. Notably, these services can be provided both onsite and virtually, 

another valuable time and cost saving feature of FMCS facilitation services.

• Negotiated Rulemaking. Negotiated rulemaking is a process in which a 

government agency invites persons and groups potentially impacted by a 

proposed rule to participate in its drafting. Interested parties who might 

otherwise oppose or challenge the rule are given the chance to participate in its 

formulation, thus reducing post-issuance challenges. The Negotiated 

Rulemaking Act of 1996 authorizes FMCS to convene and facilitate this 

process. Since the 1980s, FMCS has convened and facilitated dozens of 

negotiated rulemakings for numerous agencies.

• Agency Cooperation & Collaboration. FMCS can facilitate intra-agency or 

multiple agency groups tasked with developing a strategic plan or identified 

objective involving complex matters. Interest-based problem-solving and 

collaboration skills are essential to achieving successful outcomes.
36

• Public Policy Dialogues. Similarly, FMCS is often called upon to facilitate 

public policy discussions involving federal agencies and public-private 

stakeholders such as those conducted under the Federal Advisory Committee 

Act (FACA). These multi-party stakeholder discussions can benefit from the 

assistance of a skilled and neutral facilitator experienced in synthesizing 

discussion points and interests, as well as establishing and overseeing meeting 

structures and processes. Training and coaching are also available for 

participants.

E. International Training and Exchange

Beyond the nation’s borders, FMCS plays an important role in promoting collective 

bargaining and conflict resolution around the world. The FMCS international work is a 

small, but integral, part of its services. Emerging market economies often struggle to 

compete effectively in a globally integrated marketplace. FMCS helps establish the labor 

relations institutions that are essential to the smooth functioning of free market 

economies. These programs are also a knowledge-sharing experience: FMCS mediators 

gain familiarity with complex issues affecting the global economy and, as a result, are 

more effective in resolving domestic labor-management disputes with international 

implications.

FMCS international training programs are delivered using cost-reimbursable funds, 

largely through interagency acquisition agreements with other government agencies, such 

as the Departments of State, Labor, and USAID. In FY 2015, FMCS mediators delivered 

more than 330 hours of mediation and industrial relations training programs and 

consultation for delegations visiting the U.S. from Swaziland, Korea, Taiwan and Nigeria 

and in country for participants in Burma, Morocco, Swaziland, Haiti, Bangladesh, 

Honduras, and Thailand. In addition to programs delivered abroad, every year, FMCS 

mediators host numerous foreign delegations visiting the U.S. and interested in U.S. 

labor-management relations and conflict resolution practices.

F. Arbitration Services

National labor policy favors arbitration over litigation for settling contractual 

disputes. The FMCS Office of Arbitration Services maintains a roster of approximately 

1,100 independent arbitrators who are qualified to hear and decide disputes over the 

interpretation or application of collective bargaining agreements. Upon request from the 

parties, FMCS furnishes a list of names from which they may choose an arbitrator to hear 

their case and render a decision. FMCS administers its established policies and 

procedures on arbitration which also incorporate the Code of Professional Responsibility 

for Arbitrators of Labor-Management Disputes, to which FMCS is a signatory.

During FY 2015, the Office of Arbitration Services processed more than

12,700 requests and oversaw the appointment of more than 5,400 arbitrators nationwide.

G. FMCS Institute for Conflict Management

The FMCS Institute for Conflict Management (Institute) delivers accessible, 

innovative, and experience-based conflict resolution training for individuals and small 
37

groups of employees and managers. The training is specifically designed to meet the 

challenges of labor-management relations and organizational change. The Institute’s 

training programs provide participants the opportunity to interact with and learn from 

experienced practitioners who use these skills every day. Federal mediators and privatesector arbitrators comprise the Institute faculty.

The Institute offered eight courses in 2015: Mediation Skills for the Workplace, 

Labor-Management Negotiation Skills, Arbitration of Advocates, Six Competencies of 

Outcome-Based Communications, and Becoming a Labor Arbitrator. The Institute runs 

as a reimbursable program and is funded by fees received from training participants.

H. Labor-Management Committee Grants

The 1978 Labor-Management Cooperation Act authorizes and directs FMCS to 

encourage and support joint labor-management committees “established for the purpose 

of improving labor-management relationships, job security, and organizational 

effectiveness, enhancing economic development or involving workers in decisions 

affecting their jobs, including improving communication with respect to subjects of 

mutual interest and concern." Congress funds this initiative in FMCS annual 

appropriations, and grants are competed and awarded to encourage labor-management 

committees to develop innovative joint approaches to workplace problems. In FY 2015, 

FMCS awarded almost $800,000 in grants from funds appropriated in 2014 and 2015. 

Awarded funds included:

• Helen Miller Member Education and Training Center & SEIU HCII. 

Funds addressed a need to engage front-line hospital employees and hospital 

management to jointly identify areas for improvement in order to successfully 

transition health care delivery into the new performance-based systems that 

reward patient satisfaction, successful healthcare outcomes, and efficient service 

delivery. The grantees expect that the partnership projects will lead to stronger 

performance on value-based purchasing and other frontline worker performance 

metrics. This will in turn lead to reduced payment reimbursement penalties by 

Medicare and Medicaid.

• Manufacturing Renaissance & Chicago Federation of Labor. Between 1979 

and 2009, manufacturing employment fell by 41 percent and wages have 

remained historically stagnant due to global competition, the infusion of new 

technologies, and lean processes. This, in turn, has negatively impacted 

communities, schools, local services, and the ability of workers to provide for 

their families. Grant funds will be used to build strategic public-private 

partnerships focused on creating a vision for advances manufacturing in the 21st

century. The project expects to foster healthy communities by developing 

collaborative, locally tailored programs that will fuel manufacturing innovation 

and competitiveness.

• Golden Living Nursing Home Centers & SEIU Healthcare PA Training 

and Education Fund. Nursing homes are being inundated with standards, 
38

regulations, best practice guidelines for efficient processes, and many other 

obligations or recommendations set forth by the Centers for Medicare and 

Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While these are 

intended to improve patient safety, they can also have a negative impact on the 

flow of work if labor and management are not communicating well. By 

creating a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) committee 

at each participating facility, one which includes management and frontline 

staff, the three facilities will improve employee satisfaction, work flow, and 

patient outcomes.
39

VII. Workload Projections – FY 2016 and FY 2017

The following pages include FMCS workload over prior fiscal years, caseload 

estimates, accomplishments for 2015, and estimated workloads in 2016 and 2017.
40

WORKLOAD OUTPUTS AND PROJECTIONS

FISCAL YEARS 2011 - 2017

PROGRAM SERVICES

FY 2011

Actual

FY 2012

Actual

FY 2013

Actual

FY 2014

Actual

FY 2015

Estimated

FY 2015

Actual

FY 2016

Estimated

FY 2017

Estimated

1. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING 

MEDIATION..............................................

Assigned Casesi 13,712 13,114 12,938 12,054 12,800 11,636 12,500 12,500

-Private Sector 12,460 11,814 11,802 10,856 11,587 10,620 11,307 11,307

-Public Sector (state and municipal) 943 943 843 905 912 749 898 898

-Federal Sector 309 357 293 293 301 267 295 295

Mediated Casesii 4,665 4,528 4,122 4,009 4,387 3,719 4,267 4,267

-Private Sector 3,271 3,079 2,826 2,697 3,074 2,600 2,971 2,971

-Public Sector (state and municipal) 1,091 1,111 981 1,020 1,025 842 1,011 1,011

-Federal Sector 303 338 315 292 289 277 285 285

Closed Cases 13,776 13,652 12,651 12,032 12,466 11,644 12,217 12,217

Closed Mediated Cases 3,815 3,764 3,339 3,299 3,592 3,081 3,497 3,497

Activity Rateiii 28% 28% 26% 27.4% 28.8% 28.8% 28.6% 28.6%

Settled and Closed Mediated Cases 3,234 3,159 2,807 2,852 3,347 2,605 3,257 3,257

Percentage of mediated cases settled w/FMCSiv 85% 84% 84% 86.5% 93.2% 84.6% 93.2% 93.2%

Activity rate in significant casesv 33% 46% 47% 40.6% 48.0% 42.6% 48.0% 48.0%

2. GRIEVANCE MEDIATION ..........................

Assigned Cases 1,968 1,837 1,872 1,762 1,900 1,729 1,850 1,850

Mediated Cases 1,905 1,784 1,809 1,704 1,857 1,676 1,805 1,805

-Private Sector 1,513 1,372 1,398 1,330 1,451 1,319 1,411 1,411

-Public Sector (state and municipal) 261 264 267 256 280 240 267 267

-Federal Sector 131 148 144 118 135 117 128 128

Settled GM Cases 1,428 1,367 1,383 1,308 1,427 1,221 1,376 1,376

Percentage of cases settled w/ FMCSvi 75% 77% 76% 76.8% 76.8% 72.9% 76.2% 76.2%
41

PROGRAM SERVICES

FY 2011

Actual

FY 2012

Actual

FY 2013

Actual

FY 2014

Actual

FY 2015

Estimated

FY 2015

Actual

FY 2016

Estimated

FY 2017

Estimated

3. RELATIONSHIP-DEVELOPMENT AND 

TRAINING .................................................

Number of training programs provided 2,301 2,128 2,027 1,884 2,200 1,923 2,000 2,000

-Private Sector 1,267 1,262 1,174 1,111 1,314 1,090 1,192 1,192

-Public Sector (state and municipal) 493 463 533 436 545 472 491 491

-Federal Sector 541 403 320 337 341 361 317 317

4. ADR Services....................................................

Mediated Cases 1,330 1,110 1,118 910 1,100 1,193 1,200 1,200

-Federal Sector 1,323 1,090 1,089 884 1,081 1,152 1,177 1,177

-Public Sector (state and municipal) 3 5 1 6 5 3 6 6

-Private 4 15 28 20 14 38 17 17

Settled ADR Cases 641 537 488 410 518 536 562 562

Percent of ADR cases settled w/ FMCSvii 48% 48% 44% 45.1% 47% 44.9% 46.8% 46.8%

5. OUTREACH ....................................................

Outreach casesviii 3,190 3,019 2,911 2,710 3,080 2,722 2,900 2,900

6. ARBITRATION SERVICES..........................

Number of panels issued 13,500 13,538 13,361 13,179 14,000 12,744 13,500 13,500

Number of arbitrators appointed 5,575 6,129 6,020 5,836 5,693 5,415 5,489 5,489

7. INSTITUTE......................................................

Number of courses provided 5 8 10 8 10 8 10 10

Number of participants 93 179 188 114 200 151 200 200
42

VIII. Annual Performance Plan

Performance expectations for each service area are guided by the FMCS current fiveyear strategic plan. For each strategic goal, the FMCS has identified a number of 

objectives, key implementation strategies and actions, and measures for tracking its 

performance toward achieving each goal. The following section details each goal and 

presents a matrix identifying the programs impacted by them, performance objectives and 

accomplishments for 2015, and performance goals for 2016 and 2017.
43

Strategic Goal #1: Mediation

Minimize the number and duration of work stoppages that may occur during collective 

bargaining negotiations.

Objective:

• Use of FMCS collective bargaining mediation by labor and management leaders.

Action:

• Early intervention activities, particularly in initial contracts, the health care 

industry, and large and high-impact bargaining units.

Strategies:

• Encourage labor and management leaders to employ mediation in their contract 

negotiations.

• Pursue FMCS joint problem-solving initiatives during the term of the agreement.

Expected Outputs:

• Increased mediator case activity rates.

• Increased proportion of cases with meetings held prior to contract expiration date.

Discussion:

Collective bargaining mediation represents the core of the FMCS mission and its 

most publicly visible work. An independent study conducted for the FMCS found that

mediation prior to a contract’s expiration date significantly reduces the duration of any 

work stoppage that occurs. Previously, three separate studies of matched bargaining pairs 

found that FMCS mediation was also an important factor in preventing work stoppages 

from occurring in the first place.

As a result of these studies, the FMCS believes that early and ongoing contact with 

the parties to a labor contract negotiation is imperative in reducing the number and 

duration of work stoppages. This is particularly true in collective bargaining cases that 

involve: an initial contract; national security; the health care industry; large bargaining 

units; or those cases that have the potential for permanent shutdowns or disruptions to the 

community, work force, or interstate commerce.

The FMCS evaluates its success in these areas by looking at how many negotiations 

use mediation services, whether or not a work stoppage occurred, the duration of any 

stoppage, and the timing of mediators’ involvement. On an aggregate basis, the FMCS 

also estimates the financial cost of work stoppages that actually occur and the value of 

work stoppages that its mediators are able to prevent or shorten.
44

Mediation Outputs and Performance Measures

Minimize the number and duration of work stoppages that may occur during 

collective bargaining negotiations.

Rates of mediator case activity

Assigned Cases Closed in FY with meetings / Assigned Cases Closed in FY

Actual ....... 27.7 27.6 26.4 27.4 28.8 30.0 30.0

Target ....... 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0 30.0

* Estimated

Proportion of mediation cases with meetings held prior to contract expiration date

Cases Closed in FY with Meeting Held Prior to Contract Expiration / Cases Closed in FY with Meeting

Actual ....... 39.0 35.9 42.6 33.5 43.5 45.0 45.0

Target ....... 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0

* Estimated

20

25

30

35

40

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017*

CBM Activity Trend

20

30

40

50

60

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017*

Actual Trend
45

Strategic Goal #2: Building Problem-Solving Relationships

Improve labor-management relationships.

Objective:

• Use collaborative dispute resolution processes to manage workplace conflict.

Actions:

• Provide techniques and information that help parties improve their collective 

bargaining relationship, with particular emphasis on implementing changes to 

health care benefits.

• Deliver internally sustainable dispute resolution systems.

• Educate labor and management leaders at home and abroad in the art of building 

and maintaining labor-management partnerships.

Strategy:

• Promote the use of FMCS programs and outreach emphasizing joint initiatives on 

significant issues likely to impact collective bargaining.

Expected Output:

• Increased customer satisfaction with FMCS educational products and services.

Discussion:

Relationship development and training, grants, and a number of related activities are 

designed to help the parties to a collective bargaining agreement better understand the 

issues and external forces affecting their collective bargaining relationship and to develop 

internal task forces or groups to help them improve their relationship. In an increasingly 

global economy, outreach to sister agencies in other countries is a small, but important 

aspect of the FMCS’s work in this area.

The continued success of American employers and employees in a globally 

competitive arena requires a degree of cooperation between labor and management that 

traditional confrontational bargaining relationships cannot easily accommodate. This is 

particularly true with respect to new circumstances confronting both parties in the 

collective bargaining relationship, such as the challenges associated with the 

implementation of the Affordable Care Act. These competitive issues can be both 

complex and subtle and require creative solutions that address unique challenges.

The FMCS is committed to delivering to its customers the best possible information, 

analysis, practices, and solutions. Through its individual program evaluations, the FMCS 

is constantly seeking to improve its core curriculum.
46

Strategic Goal #3: Resolving Mid-Term Disputes

Resolve contract-based disputes (grievances) that arise during the term of collective 

bargaining agreements.

Objectives:

• Assist parties to voluntarily resolve contract-based disputes.

• Provide high-value arbitrator referral service for situations when parties cannot 

voluntarily resolve a contract-based dispute.

Actions:

• Increased utilization of FMCS services to resolve contract-based disputes.

• Maintain roster of experienced arbitrators.

• Improve all aspects of the arbitration referral service.

Strategies:

• Advocate mediation and arbitration as the preferred methods for settling disputes 

between parties in a collective bargaining relationship.

• Facilitate joint, collaborative, problem-solving events on an ongoing basis.

Expected Outputs:

• Increase the proportion of settled grievance mediation cases.

• Increase customer satisfaction with quality of arbitration service.

Discussion:

Grievance mediation, joint problem-solving facilitation, and arbitration are three 

approaches for resolving disputes that may arise from differing interpretations of a labor 

contract’s terms and conditions. Grievance mediation and joint problem-solving 

facilitation are voluntary processes that rely upon consensus building. Arbitration is a 

structured process that provides a final and binding determination. All three approaches 

are designed to reduce the need for expensive and time-consuming court litigation, and 

resolve disputes before they negatively affect the collective bargaining relationship.

Increasing the FMCS presence among groups that have not traditionally used its 

services is one way to build healthier collective bargaining relationships. The FMCS 

involvement in these interventions encourages the parties to engage in other collective 

bargaining activities with less disruption and animosity.

Improved settlement rates in contract-based disputes and joint problem-solving cases 

provide a good indication of how well FMCS mediators are able to facilitate agreements. 

Likewise, favorable customer evaluations of the arbitrator referral service help the FMCS 

improve the quality of the service.
47

Resolving Mid-Term Disputes Outputs and Performance Measures

Resolve contract-based disputes (grievances) that arise during the term of 

collective bargaining agreements.

Proportion of active grievance mediation cases with settlement reached

Agreement Reached in FY / Cases Closed in FY

Actual ....... 75.0 76.6 76.5 76.8 72.9 75.0 75.0

Target ....... 75.0 75.0 75.0 75.0 75.0 75.0 75.0

* Estimated

65

70

75

80

85

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017*

Actual Trend
48

Strategic Goal #4: Promoting ADR

Resolve regulatory / enforcement policy disputes and statute-based workplace disputes.

Objectives:

• Use employment mediation as an alternative to litigation.

• Use problem-solving processes to resolve regulatory/ policy based disputes.

Action:

• Increase number and variety of dispute mediation services provided to 

government agencies, including, but not limited to, employment mediation, 

regulatory negotiations, public policy disputes, systems design, skills

development and training, facilitation of inter- and intra-Agency cooperation and 

collaboration, mediator coaching and mentoring.

Strategy:

• Advocate alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as the preferred method for 

settling non-collective bargaining disputes.

Expected Outputs:

• Increase the number of mediated settlements in employment mediation cases.

• Increase the number of regulatory/policy disputes resolved through facilitated 

processes.

Discussion:

The FMCS alternative dispute resolution (ADR) work is defined by the 

Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 and is designed to help resolve disputes 

that do not result from a collective bargaining relationship. Under the Act, the FMCS is 

generally limited to work in the federal sector, but may include state or local entities if 

the dispute is related to a federal rule or regulation.

Using traditional dispute resolution vehicles, such as the courts or other statutory 

processes, may take several years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees

and court costs, and require significant resource expenditures from the affected parties.

In addition, imposed outcomes from utilization of these processes are unpredictable and 

the conditions present when the dispute arose may have changed dramatically. In 

regulatory matters, voluntary resolution of a single issue by multiple parties through a 

facilitated consensus-based process will normally offset any costs incurred. Broader 

resolution of more issues increases the benefits on an exponential basis.

By increasing the number of individual employment cases conflict management 

services and regulatory/enforcement services that the FMCS takes and achieving an 

increased number of resolved matters, FMCS seeks to provide a cost-effective alternative 

to litigation and promote better government decision making.
49

Promoting ADR Outputs and Performance Measures

Resolve statute- or regulation-based workplace disputes.

Proportion of active ADR cases with settlement reached

Agreement Reached in FY / Cases Closed in FY

Actual ....... 48.2 48.4 43.6 45.1 44.9 50.0 50.0

Target ....... 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0

* Estimated

40

45

50

55

60

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* 2017*

Actual Trend
50

Appendix A. Known Upcoming Significant Negotiations

Date Employer Union Affected Location BU Size

10/01/16 DOD DDSP AFGE 2004 New Cumberland, 2,100

10/01/16Robins Air Force Base ALC AFGE 987 Warner Robins, GA 17,000

10/01/16 Safeway Inc IBT 439 Tracy, CA 1,400

10/01/16Boeing Company SPEEA 2001 Seattle, WA 24,000

10/07/16 US ARMY (AMRDEC) AFGE 1858 Huntsville, AL 2,703

10/08/16 Safeway, Inc. (Food & Meat Agreement) UFCW 5 Pleasanton, CA 13,146

10/08/16 Safeway Inc. UFCW 8-GS Various Cities, CA 6,336

10/10/16Redstone Arsenal AFGE 1858 Huntsville, AL 4,383

10/12/16 Save Mart Supermarkets/Luckys UFCW 8-GS Various, CA 5,657

10/13/16 Allegheny General Hospital-RNs SEIU PA HC Pittsburgh, PA 1,295

10/14/16Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance UFCW 1473 Madison, WI 1,243

10/15/16WHEATON FRANCISCAN ST FRANCIS WI 5001 Milwaukee, WI 1,045

10/25/16 Fry's Food Stores of AZ, Inc. UFCW 99 Globe, AZ 14,840

10/31/16Chicago Parking Attendants Master Agreement IBT 727 Chicago, IL 1,000

10/31/16 Foodland Super Market Ltd ILWU 142 Hawaii, HI 1,122

10/31/16 Group Health Cooperative SEIU 1199NW Multiple locations, 2,200

10/31/16 Airport Maintenance Service Companies SEIU West Los Angeles, CA 2,930

10/31/16Chicago Midwest Meat Association (CMMA) UFCW 1546 Barrington, IL 2,500

10/31/16 Giant Food Inc UFCW 27 Baltimore 

 

5,882

10/31/16 Safeway Inc. UFCW 27 Baltimore & 2,957

10/31/16 Giant Food Inc UFCW 400 Landover, MD 12,000

11/23/16 Kings Super Markets Inc. UFCW 1245 23 Different 1,466

11/30/16 VA Health Care System AFGE 3669 1,300

11/30/16Will County AFSCME 1028 Joliet, IL 1,200

11/30/16 Association of Independent Commercial 

 

IATSE 52 New York, NY 3,634

11/30/16Women & Infants Hospital NEHCEU 1199 Providence, RI 1,700

12/01/16 Duke Energy Florida IBEW SC-U8 St. Petersburg, FL 1,900

12/01/16Thirty (30) Major League Clubs (The Office of 

 

MLBPA New York, NY 1,200

12/03/16 A&P UFCW 1500 Montvale, NJ 4,245

12/08/16 Pratt & Whitney Div of United Technologies IAMAW 1746 & 700 East Hartford, CT 2,950

12/11/16 National Beef Packing Company LLC UFCW Dist 2 Dodge City, KS 2,600

12/21/16 Mountaire Farms of Delmarva, Inc. UFCW 27 Selbyville, DE 1,072

12/30/16 Providence St. Vincent Medical Center Oregon Nurses Portland, OR 1,297

12/31/16 DOD DDSP AFGE 2004 New Cumberland, 1,800

12/31/16 APCom Power BBF Windsor, CT 3,000

12/31/16 Alstom IBB Lenexa, KS 1,000

12/31/16 Northern States Power Company d/b/a Xcel IBEW MN/SD/ND/WI, 2,400

12/31/16Constructors Association of Western PA IUOE 66 Pittsburgh, PA 3,700

12/31/16West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. LIUNA 814 Morgantown, WV 1,100

12/31/16 Avondale - A Subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls NO Metal Trades 

 

Avondale, LA 1,500

12/31/16 Hotel Industries of New York NYHMTC New York, NY 5,347

12/31/16Columbus Janitorial Contractors SEIU 1 Columbus, OH 1,000

12/31/16Cooperative Home Care Service, Inc. (CHCS) SEIU 1199 Bronx, NY 1,654

12/31/16Champlain Valley Physician Hospital (Clerical 

 

UHWE 1199 Plattsburgh, NY 1,300

12/31/16 Medstar Georgetown Medical Center UHWE 1199 MD/DC Arlington , VA 1,000

12/31/16Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. UFCW 431 Waterloo, IA 2,223

12/31/16Transfield Services / American Resources and 

 

USW 1945 Varioue (ie; 1,099

01/07/17Cargill Meat Solutions UFCW 230 Ottumwa, IA 2,145

01/25/17 Acme Markets UFCW 27 Wilmington, DE 1,215

01/27/17 NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL SEIU HC IL/ IN Chicago, IL 1,295

01/27/17 SuperValu/Jewel Food Stores UFCW 881 Chicago, IL 17,129

01/31/17 GA National Guard Civilian Tech Savannah, GA 1,000
51

Date Employer Union Affected Location BU Size

01/31/17 Visiting Nurse Service of New York Home FN/UFT/AFT 2 New York, NY 1,600

01/31/17 Honeywell International IBT 1145 Minneapolis, MN 1,007

01/31/17The Zoological Society of San Diego(San 

 

IBT 481 San Diego, CA 1,300

01/31/17 HealthPartners SEIU HC MN Bloomington, MN 1,600

01/31/17 Production Companies Agreement Los Angeles Drivers 399 North Hollywood, 2,500

01/31/17 Marshalls Distribution Center WU 237 Philadelphia, PA 1,144

02/01/17 Frontier CWA 4370 Madison, WI 1,300

02/02/17 HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY IAMAW 175 York, PA 1,977

02/07/17LORT Actors Eq Assoc New York, NY 9,500

02/09/17 AT&T Mobility, LLC CWA District 7 Birmingham, AL 21,126

02/16/17 Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation IBT 1150 Palm Beach 

 

4,500

02/17/17 Foster Poultry Farms UFCW 8-GS Turlock, CA 1,500

03/01/17Caterpillar,Inc UAW 145-751-786- Peoria, IL 9,600

03/01/17Cooper Tire & Rubber Company USW 207L Findlay, OH 1,060

03/14/17 HCA (Multiple Facilities) UHW 2005 Various, 3,000

03/17/17Elevator Constructors New Jersey/New York - IUEC 1 Long Island, NY 1,200

03/17/17 Kroger Co. - Atlanta UFCW 1996 Atlanta, GA 11,911

03/17/17 Farmland Foods UFCW 293 Crete, NE 1,960

03/29/17 Stop & Shop - New York Metro Division RWDSU / UFCW 338 Purchase, NY 1,760

03/30/17Tops Market LLC (Midstate) UFCW 1 Buffalo, NY 3,105

03/30/17Tyson Foods Inc. UFCW 227 Robards, KY 1,230

03/31/17 American Medical Response Envision AFSCME 1,700

03/31/17 DHL - IBT National Master Agreement (39) IBT Washington , DC 2,543

03/31/17 HEAVY CONSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATION IUOE 101 Kansas City, MO 3,000

03/31/17 Associated General Contractors of Illinois IUOE 649 Springfield, IL 1,100

03/31/17 HCA Hospitals Las Vegas NV SEIU 1107 Las Vegas, NV 3,172

03/31/17 Premier Home Health Care Services Inc. UHWE 1199 White Plains, NY 4,058

03/31/17 Premier Home Health Care Services Inc. UHWE 1199 New York, NY 4,058

03/31/17Collins Brothers Commercial Moving Corp. Carpenters Regional Philadelphia, PA 11,600

04/01/17E & J Gallo Winery UFCW Modesto, CA 1,386

04/03/17 Iowa Bricklayers BAC 3 Marshalltown, IA 8,694

04/08/17 Smith's Food and Drug Centers, Inc UFCW 711 Las Vegas, NV 3,239

04/14/17League of Resident Theatres SDC New York, NY 1,900

04/16/17Baltimore Washington Standard Refractory 

 

BAC 1 Camp Springs, MD 1,000

04/16/17 Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. USW District 8 Morgantown , WV 1,150

04/19/17Tops Market LLC (Buffalo Division) UFCW 1 Buffalo, NY 5,456

04/23/17 New York Electrical Contractors’ Association, IBEW 3 White Plains, NY 1,443

04/24/17City of Columbus - Dept of HR CWA District 4 Columbus, OH 1,254

04/26/17 Arrowhead Retail Grocers Alliance UFCW 1189 (see attached list), 1,342

04/29/17 NECA Penn-Del-Jersey Chapter Philadelphia IBEW 98 Philadelphia , PA 3,600

04/29/17The Philadelphia Division of the Penn-Del-

 

IBEW 98 King of Prussia, PA 2,800

04/29/17 Masonry Contractors Association of Central Laborers' District 

 

 

Scranton, 

 

1,500

04/30/17 Defense Logistics Agency AFGE Council 169 Nationwide 1,000

04/30/17Construction Industry Assoc. of Rochester BAC 3 Various, NY 2,000

04/30/17Builders Association of Tazewell County CJA Morton, IL 2,400

04/30/17Central Illinois Builders Chapter of AGC CJA Springfield, IL 2,400

04/30/17 Greater Peoria Contractors & Suppliers CJA Peoria, IL 2,400

04/30/17The Residential Carpenter Contractors IKORCC Northeast Ohio 5,000

04/30/17The Residential Carpenter Contractors CJA IN/KY/OH Northeast Ohio 9,000

04/30/17Construction Companies of Ohio (1417) IUOE 18 Cleveland, OH 13,000

04/30/17Central Illinois Builders of the AGC IUOE 965 Springfield, IL 1,050

04/30/17 Associated Master Painters & Decorators IUPAT District Philadelphia , PA 1,000

04/30/17 Associated General Contractors of Minnesota 

 

LIUNA District 

 

Whole State, MN 3,000

04/30/17 Painting & Decorating Contractors of Buffalo PAT Buffalo, NY 1,800

04/30/17 Dignity Health UHW 2005 15,000
52

Date Employer Union Affected Location BU Size

04/30/17 SMARCA Inc. Commercial Subdivision SMW 10 Minn/St. Paul 1,500

04/30/17 Peacehealth Southwest Medical Center WSNA Vancouver, WA 1,080

05/01/17 ABC, CBS and NBC,AMPTP Theatrical and 

 

Writers Guild Various 10,000

05/01/17CBS Broadcasting Inc. @ Eyelab Writers Guild Los Angeles, CA 1,000

05/11/17 PPL CORP IBEW 1600 ALLENTOWN, PA 3,300

05/14/17Chicago and Suburban Building Maintenance IUOE 150 Chicago, IL 1,006

05/14/17Brown's Super Stores, Inc. UFCW 1776 Philadelphia, PA 1,686

05/19/17The Kroger Company (Atlanta Division & 

 

UFCW 1995 Hermitage, TN 6,080

05/20/17 US Army NFFE Columbia, SC 1,200

05/22/17Walgreen Company USW/NPHA 1969 Naperville, IL 1,500

05/31/17 AGC of Wisconsin (3) (BAC 8) BAC 8 Madison, WI 3,300

05/31/17City of Memphis BAC 8 Memphis, TN 1,579

05/31/17Chicago Area Bricklayer & Masonry Contrs BAC DC 1 Chicago, IL 10,000

05/31/17 Area, AGC, Floorcovers Association & CJA 6 Southeast 1,600

05/31/17Colorado Springs School District 11 Colorado Springs 

 

Colorado Springs, 1,500

05/31/17 Aria Hotel & Casino (MGMRI) CWA 226 & 

 

Las Vegas, NV 4,000

05/31/17 Mandalay Bay Resort/The Hotel Casino CWA 226 & 

 

Las Vegas, NV 3,000

05/31/17Cooper University Health Care HPAE 5118 Camden/Voorees/M

 

1,000

05/31/17 Public Service Company of Colorado IBEW 111 Denver, CO 2,000

05/31/17 Marba & Marba Signatories IBT 731 Willowbrook, IL 2,000

05/31/17 Southwest Residential Carpenters Association, 

 

IKORCC,UBC Cincinnati, OH 1,000

05/31/17 Northwest Indiana Contractors Assoc. of IN/KY/OH Regional 

 

 

Hobart, IN 2,500

05/31/17 AGC of Wisconsin Ironworkers 383 Statewide, WI 1,000

05/31/17Contractor signatory to National Field mfg Boilermakers Hendersonville, TN 3,000

05/31/17 Addendum to Heavy and Highway Agreement IUOE 139 2,705

05/31/17 AGC of Wisconsin IUOE 139 Statewide, WI 1,700

05/31/17 Northwest Indiana Contractors Association Inc. Ironworkers 395 Portage, IN 1,374

05/31/17 Master Builders Assn. of Western PA IUOE 66 Pittsburgh, PA 4,661

05/31/17 Finishing Contractors Association IUPAT Council 57 Pittsburgh, PA 1,500

05/31/17 AGC of WI, Inc (2) LIUNA District 

 

Madison, WI 4,000

05/31/17 General Contractors Association of Pittsfield LIUNA 473 Hopkinton, MA 12,342

05/31/17The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company LIUNA 657/11 Baltimore, MD 1,000

05/31/17 MARBA Signatory Contractors (17) LIUNA CGLDC OF 

 

Chicago, IL 10,000

05/31/17 Highway Heavy and Utility Division-ICA Inc. 

 

LIUNA Indiana 

 

 

 

State of Indiana, IN 4,400

05/31/17Construction Industry of Western Massachusetts 

 

Hopkinton, MA 12,340

05/31/17Wi AGC Commercial Agreement NCSRCC (Minnesota Various locations, 3,000

05/31/17 Various Residential Contractors(Cornerstone NCSRCC N/A Green Bay, WI 3,000

05/31/17Contractors Association PAT DC 11 Groton, CT 1,000

05/31/17 Pipe Line Contractors Association PPF Phoenix, AZ 1,000

05/31/17West Suburban Association of Plumbing PPF 130 Chicago, IL 1,000

05/31/17 Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors 

 

PPF 501 93 Chicago, IL 9,183

05/31/17 Midwest Association for Plumbing-Heating- PPF 501 93 Chicago, IL 2,061

05/31/17 Kankakee and Iroquois Counties Plumbing and PPF 501 93 Chicago, IL 1,000

05/31/17 Mechanical Contractors Association of Greater PPF 533 Kansas City, MO 1,670

05/31/17 Kendall Regional Medical Center - Service / 

 

SEIU Florida 

 

 

Miami, FL 1,350

05/31/17 University of Miami Hospital SEIU Florida 

 

Miami, FL 1,800

05/31/17 NISMACNA SMART 265 Bellwood, IL 1,740

05/31/17 PIPE LINE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION Plumbers Annapolis, MD 2,500

05/31/17WI Transportation Employers Council WI Laborers' District Various locations, 2,000

06/01/17 NHS Human Services AFSCME Council 13 Harrisburg , PA 1,500

06/01/17 NHS Human Services AFSCME Council 13 Harrisburg , PA 1,500

06/01/17 AGC of Illinois (Heavy & Highway Wage 

 

CJA multi 166 195 

 

Rock Falls, IL 2,444

06/01/17 MCA of Northwest WI Plumbers 400 Appleton, WI 1,477

06/02/17Electrical Contractors Association (4) Chicago IBEW 134 Chicago, IL 8,691

06/07/17The Kroger Company UFCW 1000 Shenandoah, TX 6,906
53

Date Employer Union Affected Location BU Size

06/11/17 Asarco LLC (Amarillo Copper Refinery) IBEW 602 Amarillo, TX 2,000

06/28/17 US Department of Veterans Affairs NNU Pittsburgh, PA 9,000

06/28/17 Giant Eagle Markets Company-Grocery UFCW 23 Pittsburgh, PA 3,657

06/28/17 Giant Eagle Markets Company-Meat & Deli UFCW 23 Pittsburgh, PA 1,374

06/29/17 QPP Inc. UFCW 9 Austin, MN 1,280

06/30/17 Orchestra Managers Media Committee ( 

 

AFM N/A NY, NY 9,453

06/30/17Cuyahoga County Human Services AFSCME 1746 Cleveland, OH 1,400

06/30/17 All Signatories to 2011-2014 Exhibit A of the 

 

AFTRA Encino, CA 165,0000

06/30/17 North Slope Contractors Association APJCC Prudhoe Bay, AK 1,500

06/30/17Cincinnati Public Schools Cincinnati Federation 

 

Cincinnati, OH 2,150

06/30/17 AGC of Alaska Inc. CJA Pacific NW Anchorage, AK 1,600

06/30/17 Dignity Health CNA Glendale Oakland, CA 12,265

06/30/17 Daughters of Charity Health System CNA/NNU 1,932

06/30/17 AMPTP re DGA- Basic Agreement of 2011 Directors Guild of Los Angeles, CA 15,500

06/30/17 STATE OF HAWAII HR HGEA 152 Honolulu, HI 1,200

06/30/17 Department of Education HSTA Honolulu, HI 13,500

06/30/17 Fremantle Productions Inc. IATSE N/A Burbank, CA 1,500

06/30/17Los Angeles County Chapter National 

 

IBEW 11 Pasadena, CA 9,680

06/30/17Westar Energy, Inc IBEW 304 Topeka / Wichita, 1,242

06/30/17 Arizona Chapter- NECA IBEW 640 Phoenix , AZ 1,605

06/30/17 DHL Express USA IBT Philadelphia, PA 2,000

06/30/17Taylor Farms of California, Inc IBT 890 Salinas, CA 2,000

06/30/17 Plainfield Community Consolidated School IEA Region 50 Plainfield, IL 1,800

06/30/17Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 IFT 504 Waukegan, IL 1,200

06/30/17 Northwest Ironworkers Employers Association Ironworkers 506 Spokane, WA 5,614

06/30/17Cedar Rapids School District ISEA CREA 1,250

06/30/17 Various Construction Industry Companies IUOE 14/15 New York, NY 14,910

06/30/17 Northern California Painters Master Agreement IUPAT DC 16 Livermore, CA 2,500

06/30/17LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY COLLEGE Los Angeles College 

 

4,000

06/30/17 Associated Brick Mason Contractors of Greater 

 

MTDCGNY 79 New York, NY 1,700

06/30/17Employer Association of New York and NYC & Vicinity 

 

 

New York, NY 10,000

06/30/17 Providence St. Vincent Medical Center ONA Portland, OR 1,289

06/30/17 Sacred Heart Medical Center ONA Springfield, OR 1,244

06/30/17 Southern California Cement Mason's Plasterers 500-600 S. California, CA 3,500

06/30/17 Plumbing and A/C Contractors of Arizona PPF 469 Phoenix, AZ 2,500

06/30/17 Mechanical Contractors Association of New PPF/EAS 638 New York, NY 3,500

06/30/17BART SEIU 1021 Oakland, CA 2,400

06/30/17 Medstar Washington Hospital Center SEIU 722 Washington, DC 2,000

06/30/17 Korean Women’s Association SEIU 775 Multi City, WA 1,100

06/30/17Loretto Systems UHWE 1199 Syracuse, NY 1,400

06/30/17 Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors 

 

Sheetmetal 100 Greenbelt , MD 3,049

06/30/17 Mechanical Contractor Association Of UA 50 Northwood, OH 1,100

06/30/17 Freeman Decorating UBC 1846 New Orleans, LA 3,110

06/30/17 Nevada Contractors Association UBC 1977 Las Vegas, NV 4,249

06/30/17 United Builders & Contractors Association UBC 1977 Las Vegas, NV 4,249

06/30/17 Painting & Decorating Contractors of America UBC 1977 Las Vegas, NV 4,249

06/30/17 Associated General Contractors of Las Vegas UBC 1977 Las Vegas, NV 4,249

06/30/17Western Wall & Ceiling Contractors UBC 1977 Las Vegas, NV 4,249

06/30/17 Food 4 Less of California UFCW 324 Multi, CA 5,136

06/30/17Walgreen Co UFCW 648 San Francisco, CA 1,500

06/30/17 HMS Host Unite Here 1 Chicago, IL 1,058

06/30/17Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego United Nurses San Diego, CA 1,200

06/30/17 UNM USUNM Albuquerque, NM 1,100

06/30/17Construction Association of New York Area Various Building 

 

New York, NY 1,500

07/01/17COLLIER COUNTY SCHOOLS CCAE Chapter NAPLES, FL 1,200
54

Date Employer Union Affected Location BU Size

07/01/17City of Annapolis UFCW 400 Annapolis, MD 1,800

07/01/17 Florida International University UFF-FIU Miami, FL 2,100

07/10/17 Newport News Shipbuilding USW 8888 Newport News, VA 11,000

07/12/17CVS/Pharmacy UFCW 324 Buena Park, CA 3,948

07/13/17 AT&T Internet Services CWA FL/GA/KY/LA/MS 1,803

07/15/17 Unified Grocers IBT 117 Seattle, WA 1,120

07/20/17 Seaboard Foods UFCW 2 Guymon, OK 2,100

07/27/17 Verizon Florida LLC & Verizon Enterprise IBEW 824 Tampa, FL 2,850

07/27/17 Michelin Grp.- Michelin N.A.- BF Goodrich 

 

USW District 9 Knoxville , TN 2,550

07/29/17 Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Master USW District 9 Akron, OH 8,000

07/31/17 Metropolitan Opera AGMA New York, NY 1,146

07/31/17 Mason Contractors Association of BAC 3 Boston, MA 2,500

07/31/17 American Crystal Sugar Company BCTGM Multi 167G 

 

East Grand Forks, 1,300

07/31/17Construction Cos (Sheet Metal) NYC NY & SMW 28 New York, NY 1,175

07/31/17 St. Louis Signatory Contractors SMW 36 St. Louis, MO 2,000

08/01/17 Northern California Maint. Contractors SEIU / USWW 1877 San Francisco, CA 4,000

08/02/17Tops Markets Inc. UFCW 1 Rochester, NY 2,290

08/05/17 Frontier Communications CWA District 2-13 Charleston, WV 1,600

08/12/17Bigge Crane & Rigging IUOE 450 Houston, TX 1,150

08/12/17B & G Crane Services LLC IUOE 450 Houston, TX 1,150

08/12/17Burkhalter Transport, Inc. IUOE 450 Houston, TX 1,150

08/15/17 University of Illinois AFT GEO Champaign, IL 2,400

08/15/17We-energies IBEW 2150 Milwaukee, WI 1,997

08/15/17 Alabama Power IBEW SCU19 Birmingham, AL 2,727

08/23/17 University of Illinois Hospital - Chicago INA /ILNA (Illinois 

 

Chicago, IL 1,200

08/23/17 Jewel Food Stores, Inc UFCW 1546 Itasca, IL 4,800

08/24/17Elgin School District U-46 IEA Region 53 Elgin, IL 2,400

08/26/17 Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile 

 

SEIU-UHW 2005 Palo Alto, CA 1,498

08/26/17 Stanford University Medical Center SEIU-UHW 2005 Palo Alto, CA 1,188

08/30/17 HealthPartners OPEIU 12 Bloomington, MN 1,124

08/31/17 Kaiser Foundation Hospital & Health Plan CNA North California, 18,200

08/31/17 Minneapolis Chapter - National Electrical IBEW 292 St. Cloud, MN 2,812

08/31/17Contractors Association IUPAT 831 Multiple cities, CA 1,800

08/31/17Columbia College Chicago PFAC 1EA Chicago, IL 1,000

08/31/17 Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Contractors of 

 

UA 12 Boston, MA 1,500

08/31/17 Jacksonville Mechanical Contractors UA 234 North Florida, FL 1,241

08/31/17 Shaw's Supermarkets, Inc. UFCW 791 East Bridgewater, 1,500

08/31/17 SFO Restaurant Employers' Council Unite Here 2 San Francisco, CA 1,000

09/01/17Lorillard BCTGM 317T Greensboro, NC 1,043

09/09/17Tyson Foods, Inc RWDSU AL Forest , MS 1,040

09/12/17Zodiac Seats US f/k/a Weber Aircraft IBT 767 Gainesville, TX 1,250

09/13/17Riser Foods Company d/b/a Giant Eagle UFCW 880 Cleveland area, OH 6,863

09/13/17 Heinen's, Inc. UFCW 880 Cleveland area, OH 2,566

09/14/17Rite Aid Corporation (Retail Pharmacist CBA) UFCW 1776 Harrisburg, PA 2,800

09/15/17Bud of California/Dole Fresh Vegetables IBT 890 Various 1,500

09/17/17 Schneider Electric/Square D IAMAW Palatine, IL 1,500

09/19/17Cessna Aircraft Co IAMAW 774 Wichita, KS 2,549

09/20/17 Strong Memorial/Univ. of Rochester SEIU 1199 Rochester, NY 1,368

09/26/17Lockheed Martin ASPEP N/A Moorestown, NJ 1,500

09/27/17Raytheon IBEW 1505 Waltham, MA 2,300

09/30/17 Palm Beach County Public Employees CWA West Palm Beach, 1,100

09/30/17 Ohio Valley Area Coop IBB Various, OH 2,860

09/30/17 Nursing Homes of New York and Vicinity SEIU 1199 7,856

09/30/17 Kaiser Permanente Medical Center & Medical UNAC/UHCP Pasadena, CA 12,390
55

Appendix B. FMCS Virtual Academy Courses, 2015

Live webinars:

• Mediating Cases under the OECD Guidelines 

• The Robot Invasion of the Workplace: Implications for FMCS’s Work

• Mediating Contracts Under the Service Contract Act

• The Art of Storytelling for Presenters

• The Affordable Care Act Series, Session 1

• Training Assessment and Evaluation Using Statistical Principles

• Thinking Outside the Slide: Using Images to Convey Concepts 

• Using Mind-mapping as a Tool and Technique for Problem-Solving 

• The Art and Science of Inquiry (3-part webinar Series) 

• Strategic Outreach Strategies

• Getting Parties to the Table: Strategies for Mediators

• Best Practices for Dealing with Challenging ADR Cases

• The FMCS Arbitration Program: A Primer for the Field

• Mediator Roundtables: Interesting cases, best practices, and lessons learned

On Demand webinars:

• EEOC Neutral Qualifications Session 1: The EEO Process 

• EEOC Neutral Qualifications Session 2: Workplace Discrimination Laws 

• EEOC Neutral Qualifications Session 3: Theories of Discrimination 

• EEOC Neutral Qualifications Session 4: Available Remedies 

• GenerationNow Series – An Overview

• GenerationNow Series – The Millennial Generation

• GenerationNow Series – The Alpha Generation

• The Federal Labor Relations Statute: Part 1- Duty to Bargain

• The Federal Labor Relations Statute: Part 2 – Scope of Bargaining

• Engaging the Federal Workforce to Reduce the Footprint

• Negotiability in the Federal Sector

• The Federal Service Impasses Panel Part 1 – Structure and Process

• The Federal Service Impasses Panel Part 2 - Jurisdiction

• The Federal Service Impasses Panel Part 3 – Final Actions

• The Federal Service Impasses Panel Part 4 – Alternative Work Schedules

• Negotiated Rulemaking: An Overview
56

Endnotes

 

i

Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended, 29 U.S.C. §158(d) requires that any 

employer or labor organization provide notice to the FMCS 30 days prior to contract expiration. Not 

all cases providing notices are assigned. Actual 2015 FMCS case intake was nearly 20,000. ii

 Mediated cases represent the number of cases in the FY where mediators have become active in the 

negotiations. iii Defined as the number of closed cases where there was at least one meeting divided by the number of 

total closed assignments.

iv Defined as the number of mediated cases settled divided by the total number of mediated cases. v

 Significant cases are generally defined as situations where the bargaining unit exceeds 1,000.

vi Defined as the number of grievance mediation cases settled and closed within the fiscal year divided by 

the number of closed GM assignments.

vii Defined as the number of ADR cases settled divided by the number of mediated cases closed.

viii FMCS requires all mediators to engage in outreach efforts. These kinds of activities include nonbargaining meetings with labor and management representatives, attendance at conferences, meetings 

with local and state officials to offer FMCS services, and presentations designed to increase public 

knowledge.