Mediation

The Board’s clients have access to our mediation services in three areas: within the collective bargaining process, as a result of a grievance or complaint being referred to adjudication and as a preventive measure.

Mediation as part of collective bargaining 

• When the parties reach a point in their face-to-face negotiations where it is increasingly difficult to make progress, either party (or both) may choose to request the services of a mediator.  

• The Chairperson of the PSLRB may at any time, if requested to do so or on his or her own, appoint a mediator to confer with the parties to a dispute and to endeavour to assist them in settling the dispute. (section 108, PSLRA)

For more information, refer to the fact sheet on collective bargaining.

Mediation following a referral to adjudication 

• When a grievance (or complaint) is referred to adjudication, the Board sends a letter to the parties to assess their interest in participating in the mediation process. 

• If the parties choose mediation, they forward the contact information of their contact person (name, title, phone number and electronic address) to the Board. 

• A mediator is named by the Chairperson. 

• The mediator will get in touch with the contact persons in preparation for the mediation session. 

• The Board takes care of logistics, i.e. identifying mediation rooms, coordinating the date and time of the mediation session, etc. 

Preventive Mediation 

• Parties to a conflict may call upon the mediation services of the Board even in the case of a file that has not officially been referred to adjudication. The file may or may not be the subject of a grievance or complaint.  

• A joint request for service may be forwarded to the Chairperson of the Board and should include the information indicated in the model letter.

• According to availability, the Chairperson will appoint a mediator.  

• The mediator will get in touch with the contact persons in preparation for the mediation session. 

• The Board takes care of logistics, i.e. identifying mediation rooms, coordinating the date and time of the mediation session, etc. 

For more information, refer to the fact sheet on mediation.