Compulsory mediation

Mediation by the Labor Relations Commission is initiated without the consent of at least one of the parties to a labor dispute, and in some cases without the consent of both parties. In order to prevent or resolve labor disputes, the Labor Relations Commission performs mediation, conciliation, and arbitration as a so-called mediation function. Mediation is a method of resolving disputes in which a mediation committee composed of members of the Labor Relations Commission prepares a mediation proposal and asks both labor and management to accept it. The parties are free to decide whether to accept the mediation proposal, and this point remains the same in the case of compulsory mediation. The distinction between voluntary and compulsory mediation depends on the conditions for starting mediation. In this regard, the Labor Relations Adjustment Act provides that in cases that significantly impede public utilities and public interests, the Labor Relations Commission will start mediation upon (1) an application by one of the parties, (2) a resolution based on the authority of the Labor Relations Commission, or (3) a request for mediation by the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare or the prefectural governor (Article 18, Items 3 to 5). Similar provisions are also found in Article 27 of the Law Concerning Labor Relations of Administrative Execution Corporations and Article 14 of the Local Public Enterprises Labor Relations Act.

[Hideo Kinoshita and Mikio Yoshida]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

労働争議当事者の少なくとも一方、場合によっては双方の意思を問わずに開始される労働委員会の調停。労働争議を予防または解決するため、労働委員会はいわゆる調整的機能として斡旋(あっせん)、調停、仲裁を行う。調停は、労働委員会の委員によって構成される調停委員会が調停案を作成し、労使双方に受諾を求めて争議を解決する方法である。調停案を受諾するかどうかは当事者の任意であり、この点は強制調停の場合も変わらない。調停が任意的であるか強制的であるかの区別は、調停開始の要件による。この点、労働関係調整法では、公益事業および公益に著しい障害を及ぼす事件について、(1)当事者の一方の申請、(2)労働委員会の職権に基づく決議、(3)厚生労働大臣または都道府県知事の調停請求によって、労働委員会は調停を開始する（18条3号～5号）。ほかに、行政執行法人の労働関係に関する法律第27条、地方公営企業労働関係法第14条にも類似の定めがある。

［木下秀雄・吉田美喜夫］

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