Conduct of Mediation In consultation with the mediator, the parties will determine a location, timetable and procedure for the mediation or, if the parties cannot agree on these matters within 7 Working Days of the appointment of the mediator these matters will be determined by the mediator.
Selection of Mediator A single mediator that is acceptable to both parties shall be used to mediate the dispute. The mediator will be knowledgeable in the subject matter of this Contract, if possible.
Termination of Mediation The mediation shall be terminated:
1) By the execution of a Settlement Agreement by the Parties;
2) By a written declaration of the mediator to the effect that further efforts at mediation are no longer worthwhile; or
3) By a written declaration of a Party or Parties to the effect that the mediation proceedings are terminated.
Non-Binding Mediation Except as provided in Section 19.5, if the dispute is not settled or resolved pursuant to Section 19.2, the Parties shall endeavor to settle the dispute in an amicable manner, using non-binding mediation under the rules of JAMS before having recourse in a court of law. Each Party shall be responsible for the expenses of such Party's participants, consultants, experts or representatives and shall be paid by the Party producing such participants, consultants, experts or representatives. All other expenses of the mediation, including required travel and other expenses of the mediator, and the cost of any proofs or expert advice produced at the direct request of the mediator, shall be borne equally by the Parties, unless they agree otherwise. Any resultant agreements from mediation shall be documented in writing. All mediation proceedings, results, and documentation shall be inadmissible for any purpose in any legal proceeding (pursuant to California Evidence Codes Sections 1115 through 1128), unless such admission is otherwise agreed upon in writing by all Parties. Mediators shall not be subject to any subpoena or liability, and their actions shall not be subject to discovery. The mediator must have substantial experience with the water utility/treatment industry, including both publicly-owned and privately-owned water utilities. If any of the matters or issues involved in any dispute are outside the scope of expertise of the mediator, the mediator shall have the right to retain and rely on one or more experts with respect to the applicable matter or issue requiring expert advice. Any person selected as an expert shall be knowledgeable and experienced in the matters sought to be mediated and shall have no affiliation with the Parties; provided, however, the expert may have been utilized by either Party as a consultant not more recently than twelve (12) months prior to the time of engagement if the mediator determines that such expert will provide services unbiased by such prior consulting relationship. Mediation shall be completed within 60 days after request for the mediation by either Party, unless the parties to the mediation otherwise agree in writing. If the subject matter of the dispute relates to a very time sensitive issue, the Parties shall reasonably cooperate with one another to expedite the above-described mediation.
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.
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.
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.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AND ARBITRATION 8.01 Any employee or the Union has the right to lodge a grievance with respect to any matter arising out of the interpretation, application or alleged violation of this Agreement.
8.02 At the time formal discipline is imposed or at any stage of the grievance procedure, including the complaint stage, a nurse is entitled to be represented by her/his union representative. In the case of suspension or discharge, the Employer shall notify the nurse of this right in advance. The Employer also agrees, as a good labour relations practice, it will also notify the Bargaining Unit.
8.03 It is the intent of the parties that complaints of employees shall be adjusted as quickly as possible, and it is understood that the Union has no grievance concerning an individual nurse until the Director of Care or her/his designate has been given an opportunity of adjusting the complaint. Such complaint shall be discussed with the Director of Care within fifteen (15) working days after the circumstances giving rise to it have occurred. This discussion may include consultation, advice and assistance from others. If there is no settlement within nine (9) working days, it shall then be taken up as a grievance within nine (9) working days in the following manner and sequence: The Union may present the grievance to the Administrator, or her/his designate, who shall render her/his decision within five (5) working days after the presentation of the grievance to her/him. The parties may, if they so desire, meet to discuss the grievance at a time and place suitable to both parties. If the decision is unsatisfactory, then the grievance may be presented in the following manner: Within ten (10) working days after the decision is given at Step No. 1, the aggrieved employee, and/or the Grievance Committee shall meet with a committee appointed by the Board of Directors of the Manor to consider the grievance. At this stage the employee and/or the Grievance Committee may be accompanied by a representative of the Union. The decision of the committee of the Board of Directors will be rendered in writing to the Labour Relations Officer and the bargaining unit representative within ten (10) working days following such a meeting.
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.
Level Four - Arbitration a. Within ten (10) school days after such written notice of submission to arbitration, the Board and the Association shall attempt to agree upon a mutually acceptable Arbitrator and shall obtain a commitment from said Arbitrator to serve. If the parties are unable to agree upon a mutually acceptable Arbitrator, or obtain such a commitment within the specified period, a request for a list of Arbitrators may be made to the Public Employment Relations Commission by either party. The parties shall then be bound by the rules and procedures of the Public Employment Relations Commission in selection of an Arbitrator.
b. The Arbitrator so selected shall confer with the Committee of the Board and the Aggrieved Person and Association representative, and hold hearings promptly and shall issue his decision not later than twenty (20) days from the date of the close of the hearings, or if oral closings have been waived, then from the date the final statements and proofs on the issues are submitted to him. The Arbitrator's decision shall be in writing and shall set forth his findings of fact, reasoning and conclusions on the issues submitted. The Arbitrator shall be without power or authority to make any decision which requires the commission of an act prohibited by law, or which is violative of the terms of this Agreement. The decision of the Arbitrator shall be submitted to the Board and the Aggrieved Person and Association representative, and shall be final and binding on the parties. The Arbitrator shall be limited to the issues submitted and shall consider nothing else. The Arbitrator can add nothing to, nor subtract anything from the Agreement between the parties.
c. The costs for the services of the Arbitrator, including per diem expenses, if any, and actual and necessary travel, subsistence expenses, and the cost of the hearing room, shall be borne equally by the Board and the Association. Any other expenses incurred shall be paid by the party incurring same.
