This open access book opens up the black box of mediation in collective conflicts through the analyses and comparisons of various systems. Mediation and related third party interventions such as conciliation and facilitation are discussed as effective prevention and regulation tools for different types of collective labor conflicts. These interventions fit in a new developed five-phase model of collective conflicts in organizations, going from capacity building in latent conflicts, through conciliation, mediation and arbitration in escalating phases, to rebuilding of trust after hot conflicts. The authors promote understanding and discussion with regards to labor mediation systems, presenting comparative research on the perspectives of mediators and users of mediation. This book describes and analyses laws, regulations and practices of mediation in seventeen countries, with a relative strong emphasis on Europe. Part 1 presents theoretical frameworks on conciliation and mediation in collective labor conflicts. Part 2 presents regulations and practices in 12 European countries: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Part 3 discusses mediation in these collective conflicts in Australia, China, India, South Africa and the USA. Part 4 offers conclusions and ways forward. This book offers analyses, good practices and developments for third party intervention in collective labor conflicts in global and local changing environments. This book is a must-read for policy makers, , social partners at different levels, as well as scholars and practitioners in industrial relations, human resources management and conflict management, particularly conciliators and mediators.

In the early summer of 2005, an international expert meeting was convened in The Hague to share and compare national experiences with conciliation and mediation as methods for resolving collective labor disputes. Both the European Union and the Council of Europe have committed themselves to promoting these methods which aim to assist disputants in finding creative, negotiated solutions, while preserving their long-standing relationships. Ideally, trade unions and employers (associations) have such long-standing relationships, and many European countries have specialized conciliation officers or mediation services operating in this area. The meeting allowed leading mediators and academics to share their experiences and to exchange their views on the changes permeating Europe today: the rise of transnational labor disputes, the decentralization of collective bargaining, the process of de-unification, the joining of the EU by new member states without a social dialogue tradition, and the insights generated by the emerging science of principled bargaining, facilitative mediation, and conflict management. All these developments are likely to increase the demand for expert mediation services assisting more often less experienced negotiators. Thereby, the very nature of mediation may gradually change. This book documents the proceedings and provides a comprehensive overview of EU initiatives in the field of collective labor law and dispute resolution.

This book examines the institutions and mechanisms for settlement of individual labour disputes in various countries. The number of individual disputes arising from day-to-day workers' grievances or complaints continues to grow in many parts of the world. The chapters in this book cover individual labour dispute settlement systems in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each chapter examines and assesses the institutions and mechanisms for settlement of individual labour disputes, including the procedures and powers available, the interaction of these institutions and mechanisms with other labour market institutions (e.g. collective bargaining and labour inspection) and the broader system for resolution of legal disputes (e.g. courts of general jurisdiction, specialist commissions and tribunals).

The 2017 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook reviews recent labour market trends and short-term prospects in OECD countries.