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July 11, 1996
(Environment and Labour)


Review of Preventive Mediation Program

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Environment and Labour, today released the results from an external evaluation of the department's Preventive Mediation Program.

An external consultant, Gerard McDonald of McDonald Human Resources was contracted to conduct a review of the department's program by consulting extensively with key stakeholders involved, namely employers, unions, and employees involved in this program. In completing this review, all six components of the Preventive Mediation Program were evaluated since the program was introduced in 1992.

The minister noted that the consultant's findings indicate that overall, there is no question that the Preventive Mediation Program has been a success. The program, its various components, and the people involved in delivery, are highly regarded in the labour community, both in this province and nationally.

According to the consultant's report since this program was introduced in 1992, the department has achieved an overall Grievance Mediation settlement rate of 84 per cent. He stated that this is a telling trend, and it is clear that client satisfaction is ultimately related to its outcome.

The minister said: "Clients find the biggest benefits in the areas of improving the way parties deal with grievances, improving their abilities to settle their own differences and the potential to avoid further costs." The minister also said that the consultant found the intervention and involvement of the department was critical to the program's success.

On a national scale, the Preventive Mediation Program has won the appreciation of many employers such as Diane Barsoski, past corporate vice-president of human resources with Thompson Newspapers:

"I must tell you that your program exceeded our expectations. By all accounts both the newspaper's management and union feel the program has helped them to improve their relationship. As well, management perceives an improvement in the morale of the paper already."

According to the minister, the results from this evaluation indicate the program has been very successful in meeting the needs of clients. "Our department is providing a valuable service which has been very effective in accomplishing what it was designed to do - improve communications, enhance problem-solving and dispute resolution skills, and build labour-management relations."

For further information on the results of the Preventive Mediation Program Evaluation or assistance with any workplace issue, contact the Labour Relations Division of the department at (709) 729-2711.

Contact: Rachelle Cochrane, Labour Branch, (709) 729-2242.

BACKGROUNDER

  • The Preventive Mediation Program is a voluntary program introduced in 1992. It is designed to assist employers and employees to create more constructive and mutually beneficial ways of handling and settling potential disputes. This program offers constructive assistance through an experienced neutral third party.
  • This program consists of six components: mediator consultation, first agreement orientation, labour management committees, supervisor/steward joint training, grievance mediation and relation by objectives. Since its introduction, the department has received more than 1,000 requests for assistance.
  • The department has also seen a noticeable improvement toward more positive labour-management relations demonstrated by the willingness of parties to work together through difficult economic times. Several indicators of this include the change in labour management processes over the last number of years.
  • There is an increased desire by both labour and management to prevent workplace incidents in this province indicated by the increased use of the Preventive Mediation Program; applications have grown from just less than 200 applications in 1992, to almost 300 in 1995.
  • On average, there are 200 collective agreements negotiated each year in this province. Approximately one half request the mediation services of the department and of these more than 80 per cent are successfully resolved without conflict.
  • A significant decline in the number of work stoppages has also occurred over the past 20 years. During a five-year period in the 1970's, Newfoundland experienced 230 work stoppages; in the last five years, this has fallen dramatically to 55.
  • Newfoundland is on par with other provinces with employment days lost due to strikes. During the last several years, Newfoundland's rate has stood between three per cent and seven per cent while the national rate was comparable between four per cent and six per cent.
  • When parties are negotiating collective agreements, there is now more flexibility added to these agreements, a further indication of the willingness by both labour and management to understand each other's needs and accommodate these needs to ensure the viability of the enterprise.
  • The Department of Environment and Labour is ready to provide any assistance that parties may require to help resolve workplace issues, to help and enhance the workplace, and to develop more harmonious relationships between labour and management.
1996 07 11 11:25 a.m.

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