Mediation

Whether conflict arises between individuals, groups or organisations there is sometimes a need for neutral third party assistance to help the parties to reach agreement. The essence of mediation is helping parties to talk constructively to each other and to reach a settlement. Mediation is, in effect, an assisted form of negotiation. I have extensive experience in mediating inter-personal conflicts in the workplace including conflicts at senior executive and managerial levels.

The Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (MII) is the professional association for mediators in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It promotes the use and practice of quality mediation as a process of dispute resolution. MII mediators have a high standard of training and accreditation and are subject to skills assessment. They also have a compulsory programme of continuing professional development and are bound by the MII Code of Ethics.

MII mediators are required to have professional indemnity insurance and they are subject to independent regulation.

Another form of mediation, sometimes called ‘conciliation’, involves helping groups as opposed to individuals, particularly employers and trade unions, to negotiate agreements. Examples of this form of mediation that we have undertaken include:

Chairing/facilitating negotiations between the management of a financial services organisation and a group of trade unions. The bargaining agenda included strategic changes as well as pay and conditions of employment. The objective was to reach a comprehensive agreement in-house and to develop relationships that would help support the upcoming strategic changes into the future.
Chairing/facilitating negotiations between the management of a hospital and five separate bargaining groups. The agenda concerned the terms and conditions under which staff would transfer to new premises