COMMISIONER'S BROADCAST APRIL 18, 2000

Of all the tools available to employees in recent years for managing workplace conflict, our successes with the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) process have proved to be the most encouraging. As a fair, flexible, friendly, and fast alternative to our more formal and traditional processes of conflict resolution, the principles of ADR have proven their potential for restoring workplace relationships. Our many talented employees bring a diversity of ideas to the workplace, and with innovation comes uncertainty. Our strength as an organization reflects how well we are performing as a team. Differences of opinion and approach to resolving problems are unavoidable in any workplace, and when managed effectively, make for a stronger organization overall. A few weeks ago, I met personally with each of our ADR Coordinators. I continue to hear of our incredible successes with the use of ADR principles; particularly the increased use of Interest Based Negotiation skills. It is refreshing to hear accounts of employees who are taking ownership of the initiative to resolve their differences at the lowest possible levels. These continued successes underlie my strong reaffirmation of ADR. As an organization we have not arrived at the point where ADR is inherently ingrained into all of our business practices; there is a continued need to maintain a core of strong proponents within each Region. These are your coordinators, and I have mandated them to continue exploring the capacity of the ADR continuum. I have also been informed of pockets of resistance and reduced commitment across Regions and certain employee levels. The potential for ADR as a means of promoting workplace harmony is limitless, and a healthy workplace shall be the goal of all managers. I have asked each Deputy Commissioner and Commanding Officer to promote the heightened awareness and use of ADR principles, and to monitor progress within their responsibility centers. All levels of management are to be familiar with the character of the ADR «toolbox», and will be held accountable for integrating these practices as a way of doing business. Your coordinators are returning to the Regions with my strong mandate to sustain and further promote the principles of ADR in resolving workplace conflict; we are seeing that wellness as individuals, an organization, and our communities is an outcome. I look forward to hearing of the continued successes of theses initiatives.

J.P.R. Murray Commissioner