Compulsory mediation
The National Mediation Office can appoint mediators at the request of the parties concerned. Under the new legislation dating from 1 June 2000, it can also appoint mediators without the consent of the parties. This may be done if one of the parties has given notice of industrial action and the National Mediation Office decides that mediators can satisfactorily resolve the dispute.
Organisations that have signed an agreement on bargaining procedure and have registered the document with the National Mediation Office are exempted from this rule.
The intervention of mediators against the wishes of the social partners is not common practice.