The world of labor and employment relations is evolving—are you ready? This dynamic 90-minute webinar brings together top labor and employment experts to unpack the recent shifts within the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) and explore what these changes mean for practitioners, unions, and employers alike. From historical context and recent updates to the future of collective bargaining and real-world strategies, you'll gain timely insights and actionable guidance to navigate the changing labor landscape. Featuring voices from both sides of the table, including a moderated panel discussion and live Q&A, this session is a must-attend for HR professionals, legal advisors, union leaders, and anyone involved in labor relations.
When: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 from 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Cost: $25 per person
91ÖÆƬ³§ Mike Hawkins
Mike is a partner in the Labor, Employment and Appellate Practice Groups at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. With more than 40 years of experience as an attorney and hundreds of successful mediations, Mike uses a tried and true approach that enables both parties to comfortably maneuver through the process toward resolution while ensuring their interests are protected. He understands that mediation involves compromise and negotiation, and he provides each party with a Preparation Guide that ensures the process remains on track and consistent throughout the mediation. This approach has resulted in a better than 80% success rate in settling disputes.
A neutral for the American Arbitration Association (AAA) since 1992, Mike has been successful in mediating and arbitrating employment-related claims and commercial disputes. Litigation involving discrimination laws, contact and non-compete issues, wrongful discharge claims, construction and domestic relations. He recently served as Chair of The Cincinnati Bar ADR Committee and is a frequent speaker on Mediation and Conflict Resolution. He also taught Mediation and Conflict resolution at Xavier University in Cincinnati for three years. Mike uses his career experiences to establish credibility and build trust throughout the mediation process. As an attorney, Mike has extensive experience in labor and employment law matters, handling a variety of cases in courts throughout the country, including two before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mike also cares about people. He is well-known for his humanitarian actions, including countless mission trips on behalf of Refugees International and The American Red Cross. Balancing his legal experience and a compassion for serving others, Mike has served as Chair of The Cincinnati Human Relations Committee and Bridges for a Just Community, where he demonstrated a unique ability to connect with a diverse group of people to reach a common ground. These experiences help Mike to relate to others’ needs and build the trust needed to reach win-win resolutions for the parties in a mediation.
91ÖÆƬ³§ John Gray
John Gray brings nearly two decades of experience in labor relations and conflict resolution to his work. He served as a Commissioner for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) for 14 years, where he played a key role in resolving complex labor disputes and fostering constructive labor-management relationships nationwide. Prior to joining FMCS, John spent 5 years as a Labor Relations Mediator with the Ohio State Employment Relations Board (SERB).
Over the course of his 19-year career, he has successfully mediated more than 1,700 labor disputes across the public and private sectors. A dedicated educator and mentor, John has served as a new mediator trainer for FMCS, 91ÖÆƬ³§'s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Center, and has even shared his expertise internationally with the country of Myanmar. In addition to his mediation work, John is a seasoned trainer and facilitator. He has trained thousands of participants in a wide range of ADR programs focused on enhancing communication, collaboration, and effective conflict management.
Throughout his FMCS career, John was recognized for his outstanding contributions with 19 service awards, including the prestigious 2018 Director’s Award for Excellence. John’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to helping labor and management find common ground through mutual understanding and practical problem-solving.
91ÖÆƬ³§ Lou Manchise
Mr. Manchise was the Director of Mediation Services with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), an independent agency of the United States Government, created in 1947. The Federal Mediation Service, FMCS, is primarily responsible for mediating labor management contract disputes in the United States. Mr. Manchise joined FMCS in 1973 after a career as a regional manager of industrial relations for a major container manufacturer. Commissioner Manchise mediated over 1,000 contract negotiations, facilitated hundreds of labor management committees and conducted numerous training sessions designed to improve employee relations and cooperation among the representatives of employers and unions within all sectors of the U.S. economy: private, public and federal. Mr. Manchise also facilitated regulatory negotiations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Education, helped design and institutionalize the first ever U.S. Government mediation alternative for the general public and regulatory agencies of the Department of Labor, and implemented grievance mediation systems as an alternative to binding arbitration in many union/management relationships.  Mr. Manchise is currently a Lecturer of Management at 91ÖÆƬ³§. He is a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Center also at 91ÖÆƬ³§ where he serves as the Chairman of the Board. He is very well known in the conflict management community as a dedicated, hardworking, fair and creative problem solver.
This offering is approved for:
1.5 hours of CLE credit in Ohio
1.5 hours of CLE credit in Kentucky
This webinar also is approved for 1.5 hours of SHRM continuing education credit.
