Exploring the Role of Representation in Employment Mediation at the USPS

Department

Political Science and International Affairs

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2002

Abstract

Perceptions of the fairness of the grievance procedure affect perceptions about the effectiveness of those procedures; indeed, researchers have found that employee satisfaction is more strongly influenced by the perceived fairness of the grievance procedure than by the perceived fairness of the grievance outcome. This study uses 7651 data tracking reports to examine the numbers of complainants, respondents, and representatives present; which parties had representatives; the mediation's duration; and its outcome. Unlike the attorneys for craft employees, attorneys for supervisors and managers are supplied by the Postal Service itself when the USPS determines that an attorney's presence is needed. Because union representation is associated with higher settlement rates for both complainants and respondents and higher satisfaction levels for complainants than occurs with other types of representatives, unionized private sector employers may want to rethink opposition to some form of union participation in employment dispute resolution.

Journal Title

Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution

Journal ISSN

1046-4344

Volume

17

First Page

341

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.2139/ssrn.1420228

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