A federal mediator, requested by the administration and the faculty union, could possibly resolve negotiation issues in three to four meetings.

Dan O’Leary, director of federal mediation services for the region, said he suspects a federal mediator could work quickly to get the administration and Eastern’s chapter of the University Professionals of Illinois to reach an agreement.

The two groups have been negotiating a new three-year faculty contract for months and have had trouble reaching consensus on issues.

The UPI and the administration made a joint request for a federal mediator to aid in the bargaining process two weeks ago, and are waiting to set a date when all parties can get together.

O’Leary said the mediator, Jerry Carmichael from Indianapolis, might have already contacted both sides, but the UPI and the administration have not released a meeting date yet.

“I suspect he’s in touch with both sides, but the average mediator can have 45 to 50 assignments at any given time,” he said.

When the mediator does join negotiations, O’Leary said he will identify open or unresolved issues and work out suggestions, compromises and proposals for the bargaining process.

Carmichael will hear private information from both groups and use that information at an appropriate time to help them reach an agreement.

“He’ll do anything to get the two parties together,” O’Leary said. “Several mediators have come out of teacher negotiations that have run 12 to 18 hours.”

Mediators are often on the road, which makes it difficult to contact them, and their priorities are usually with the private sector.

O’Leary, who is in charge of 21 mediators in the Midwest, said a federal mediator’s mandate is to aid in private negotiations, except the railway and airline industries.

Public sector mediations, such as the type Eastern requested, are provided through tax dollars, he said.