Who Mediates Employment Relationship Problems?

Abstract

Assuming that mediation is a successful way of resolving employment rights disputes, it is interesting to establish the reasons why this is the case. Factors for mediation being a successful way of resolving disputes mentioned in the literature are numerous and can be found not only in the unique approach to resolving disputes but also in the personal qualities of the neutral third party.

This paper is based on a recently conducted study, which consists of 30 structured interviews with mediators involved in the resolution of employment relationship problems, and provides data on the person of the mediators, their training and previous work experience. It surveys not only the mediators of the Department of Labour’s Mediation Services that provide most of the mediation in this field but also private employment mediators. It also reports on the findings of an online­survey on the private employment mediation market in New Zealand.