Mediator Recommendations

News of labour negotiations some days seems to dominate the mediation airwaves and is nothing new.

But the 11 week strike by 5000 city workers in Vancouver has been a biggy - and it has ended in a mediation followed by recommendations by the mediator last Friday to settle the strike - they include a 17.5% wage hike over 5 years and a $1000 signing bonus for each union member.

But my interest is in process - without knowing the ins and outs of Canadian labour law, it seems very different to have the mediator make such detailed recommendations for settlement.

Apparently the City and the Unions agreed to an enhanced mediation process whereby the mediator would meet separately with the City and the Unions to listen to their submissions then provide them with written recommendations for settlement of the terms and conditions for renewal of the City's collective agreements.

So where's the mediation in that? Why not just call it unsafe arbitration?

Come in Vancouver...