NCJ Number
106229
Journal
Labor Law Journal Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1987) Pages: 370-376
Date Published
1987
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A study was conducted to examine the effect of grievance mediation as a step in the grievance procedure prior to arbitration on subsequent resolution of public school contractual disputes in Washington State in 1984-1985.
Abstract
Of 15 grievances referred to mediation, 11 were settled as a result of the mediation conference, 2 were resolved through arbitration, and 2 were unresolved. The use of grievance mediation yielded faster, less expensive, and less time-consuming resolutions to all disputes that were resolved without proceeding to arbitration than did the use of arbitration alone. In general, union advocates and grievees had a higher level of satisfaction with mediation, while management advocates and grievants had a higher level of satisfaction with arbitration. However, the only dissatisfied management advocates in mediation were attorneys. While grievants in mediation were more satisfied with their extent of participation than were those in arbitration, this was insufficient to raise their overall satisfaction above 75 percent. Information on the mediation process is appended.