California State Mediation & Conciliation Service – About SMCS

Providing mediation, arbitration and other neutral services to California’s labor-management community since 1947

The core service provided by SMCS’ staff of mediators is mediation of public sector contract disputes. Mediators work with parties in school districts, community colleges, higher education, the State of California, cities, counties, special districts, transit districts and the trial courts to reach agreements in bargaining.

SMCS also provides mediators for grievance disputes, trainers for bargaining and labor-management training, and neutral facilitators for facilitation of bargaining and other labor-management processes. Public sector employers and unions who need assistance in setting up and conducting representation and agency shop elections also turn to SMCS for assistance.

The service maintains a list of qualified private arbitrators and handles requests from labor and management parties for arbitration lists.

SMCS is a program of the State of California’s Department of Industrial Relations.

SMCS Mediators and Contact Information

6/1/2012