Playing the role as the mediator isn't an easy task but the labour department has to take up that responsibility in cases where employers and their workers can't settle difference on their own. So today the labour department started a week long workshop on the mediation process and it's importance in the workplace. We found out more at the Biltmore.
Ivan Williams, Labour Commissioner
"Throughout the week we will be learning about the special role that the mediator plays and the dynamics of identifying conflicts, how they arrive, how to treat them in the workplace, because you know the labour department acts as a neutral third party that comes in instances where the parties cannot resolve their differences, which might lead to a trade dispute and then instead of the parties goes to strikes or lockout - in some cases you have voluntary, in some cases you have mandatory conciliation or mediation. Because we have laws which mandates that in certain categories of employment or certain businesses that are essential, you can't just strike and they are then - the minister has power then to other mediation or conciliation. But for the most part it is voluntary and that's what we get most of the time at the labour department where the parties are either in the process of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement and the top breakdown and they need a third party to help them continue the process."
"The mediator knows his function, his role, how to stay in the middle, how to bring to the parties the ideas and so on and how to ensure that they build the trust and confidence in the parties in seeing the ability for them to resolve the dispute. But we have also extended it to the business sector and to the union sector, because we feel that if they are aware of the processes involve, they too can understand the role and the important function that the Labour Department plays."
It is a week-long workshop with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the Trade Union Congress.
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