Negotiation and Mediation If either party serves written notice of a Dispute upon the other party (a “Dispute Notice”), the parties will first attempt to resolve the Dispute by direct discussions between representatives of the parties who have authority to settle the Dispute. In the event the Dispute is not resolved within 15 days by the initial representatives to whom the matter is referred, the Dispute will be escalated for resolution to the CFO of each party. If the parties agree, they may also attempt to resolve the Dispute through mediation administered by a mutually agreed upon mediator.
Mandatory Mediation Prior to and as a condition of either Party’s filing suit in state or federal court, the Parties shall engage in a mediated settlement conference in accordance with the North Carolina Superior Court Rules Implementing Statewide Mediation. The Parties shall mediate in good faith until settlement is reached or an impasse is declared by the mediator.
Optional Mediation The Parties may mutually agree to non-binding mediation:
(a) If the grievance is not resolved at Step 3, either Party may request that a Mediator be appointed to meet with the Parties, investigate and define the issues in dispute and facilitate a resolution.
(b) The Mediator shall be appointed by mutual agreement between the Parties.
(c) The purpose of the Mediator's involvement in the grievance process is to assist the Parties in reaching a resolution of the dispute, and anything said, proposed, generated or prepared for the purpose of trying to achieve a settlement is to be considered privileged and will not be used for any other purpose.
(d) The expenses of the Mediator shall be equally borne by both Parties.
(e) The grievance may be resolved by mutual agreement between the Parties.
Contract Negotiations Where operational requirements permit, and on reasonable notice, the Employer shall grant special leave with pay for not more than two (2) representatives of each bargaining unit for the purpose of attending contract negotiation meetings with the Employer on behalf of the Union. Such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Contract Negotiations Meetings Where operational requirements permit, the Employer will grant leave without pay to an employee for the purpose of attending contract negotiations meetings on behalf of the Institute.
Mutual Negotiations This Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are the product of mutual negotiations by the parties thereto and their counsel, and no party shall be deemed the draftsperson of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or any provision hereof or thereof or to have provided the same. Accordingly, in the event of any inconsistency or ambiguity of any provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document, such inconsistency or ambiguity shall not be interpreted against any party because of such party’s involvement in the drafting thereof.
Procedures for Providing NP Through Full NXX Code Migration Where a Party has activated an entire NXX for a single Customer, or activated at least eighty percent (80%) of an NXX for a single Customer, with the remaining numbers in that NXX either reserved for future use by that Customer or otherwise unused, if such Customer chooses to receive Telephone Exchange Service from the other Party, the first Party shall cooperate with the second Party to have the entire NXX reassigned in the LERG (and associated industry databases, routing tables, etc.) to an End Office operated by the second Party. Such transfer will be accomplished with appropriate coordination between the Parties and subject to appropriate industry lead times for movements of NXXs from one switch to another. Neither Party shall charge the other in connection with this coordinated transfer.
Dispute Resolution; Mediation (a) Either party may commence the dispute resolution process of this Section 8.2 by giving the other party written notice (a “Dispute Notice”) of any controversy, claim or dispute of whatever nature arising out of or relating to or in connection with this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or the breach, termination, enforceability or validity thereof (a “Dispute”) which has not been resolved in the normal course of business or as provided in the relevant Ancillary Agreement. The parties shall attempt in good faith to resolve any Dispute by negotiation between executives of each party (“Senior Party Representatives”) who have authority to settle the Dispute and, unless discussions between the parties are already at a senior management level, who are at a higher level of management than the Persons who have direct responsibility for the administration of this Agreement or the relevant Ancillary Agreement. Within fifteen (15) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, the receiving party shall submit to the other a written response (the “Response”). The Dispute Notice and the Response shall include (i) a statement setting forth the position of the party giving such notice and a summary of arguments supporting such position and (ii) the name and title of such party’s Senior Party Representative and any other Persons who will accompany the Senior Party Representative at the meeting at which the parties will attempt to settle the Dispute. Within thirty (30) days after the delivery of the Dispute Notice, the Senior Party Representatives of both parties shall meet at a mutually acceptable time and place, and thereafter as often as they reasonably deem necessary, to attempt to resolve the Dispute. The parties shall cooperate in good faith with respect to any reasonable requests for exchanges of Information regarding the Dispute or a Response thereto.
(b) If the Dispute has not been resolved within sixty (60) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice, or if the parties fail to meet within thirty (30) days after delivery of the Dispute Notice as hereinabove provided, the parties shall make a good faith attempt to settle the Dispute by mediation pursuant to the provisions of this Section 8.2 before resorting to arbitration contemplated by Section 8.3 or any other dispute resolution procedure that may be agreed by the parties.
(c) All negotiations, conferences and discussions pursuant to this Section 8.2 shall be confidential and shall be treated as compromise and settlement negotiations. Nothing said or disclosed, nor any document produced, in the course of such negotiations, conferences and discussions that is not otherwise independently discoverable shall be offered or received as evidence or used for impeachment or for any other purpose in any current or future arbitration.
(d) Unless the parties agree otherwise, the mediation shall be conducted in accordance with the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution Model Procedure for Mediation of Business Disputes in effect on the date of this Agreement by a mediator mutually selected by the parties.
(e) Within thirty (30) days after the mediator has been selected as provided above, both parties and their respective attorneys shall meet with the mediator for one (1) mediation session, it being agreed that each party representative attending such mediation session shall be a Senior Party Representative with authority to settle the Dispute. If the Dispute cannot be settled at such mediation session or at any mutually agreed continuation thereof, either party may give the other and the mediator a written notice declaring the mediation process at an end.
(f) Costs of the mediation shall be borne equally by the parties involved in the matter, except that each party shall be responsible for its own expenses.
(g) Any Dispute regarding the following matters is not required to be negotiated or mediated prior to seeking relief from an arbitrator or, if applicable, from a court pursuant to Section 10.14: (i) breach of any obligation of confidentiality or waiver of Privilege; and (ii) any other claim where interim relief is sought to prevent serious and irreparable injury to one of the parties. However, the parties to the Dispute shall make a good faith effort to negotiate and mediate such Dispute, according to the above procedures, while such arbitration is pending.
Dispute Resolution and Applicable Law 1. The Parties shall first attempt to settle amicably any dispute arising out of this Agreement. Any dispute shall be resolved by arbitration, ousting jurisdiction by ordinary courts, by a panel of three arbitrators. Each party to the dispute will nominate one arbitrator. These two arbitrators will then designate a third arbitrator who will also act as chairman. The arbitration decision shall be binding on the parties. The arbitration rules of the CEPANI shall be applicable. The place of any hearing shall be Brussels and the language of the arbitration shall be English. Each Party may at any time request from any competent judicial authority any interim or conservatory measure.
2. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of Belgium.
NEGOTIATIONS PROCEDURE A. Upon the request of Local 149 or the Board, not earlier than ninety (90) calendar days prior to the expiration of this Agreement, the parties may open negotiations for a successor contract. The first meeting will be held within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt of the request unless the parties mutually agree to a later date.
B. The Board and the Union shall be represented at negotiation meetings by a team of not more than six (6) members each.
C. The Board and the Union negotiating teams shall exchange items for negotiations at the first negotiating session. All contract proposals shall be presented in writing by both parties. No issue shall be introduced by either party following the first session unless mutually agreed by both negotiating teams.
D. Neither team shall release information to the public media without mutual agreement of the other team until such time as impasse is declared by either side.
E. When tentative agreement is reached covering the matters of negotiation, it shall be reduced to writing, reproduced at Board expense for the Local 149 membership to ratify or reject. When approved by Local 149 membership, it shall be presented to the Board for its approval or rejection.
F. In the event agreement is not reached within thirty (30) calendar days after the first actual negotiating session, either party may request that Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service be notified and requested to furnish the services of a mediator for the purpose of assisting the parties in reaching agreement. The request for a mediator shall be jointly filed. This procedure is intended to serve as an alternate dispute resolution procedure to those set forth in Chapter 4117 of the Ohio Revised Code.
G. The procedures set forth above may be modified prior to the start of negotiations by joint agreement of the parties. Should that occur, the bargaining shall be governed by the ground rules agreed to modifying these procedures.
