Strengthening the Role of Mediators in Settlement of Industrial Relations Disputes During the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many employers terminating their workers, which has led to an increase in cases of industrial relations disputes. Mediation is one method of settling industrial relations disputes. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of the mediator in the mediation process, and efforts to strengthen this role to maximize the occurrence of fair industrial relations dispute settlement process. The research method used is normative. The study results show that the mediator’s role is still considered a mere arbiter, with recommendations that the parties can easily ignore. Therefore, the mediator should be given a strengthening role in the mediation dispute resolution process. Strengthening can be done through 1. Efforts to increase literacy regarding industrial relations and settlement of industrial relations disputes, to obtain appropriate recommendations; 2) Mediators have the primary function of reconciling the two parties, so it is necessary to make special regulations regarding the profession of the mediator to continuously improve skills through direct training to mediators who have reconciled many parties to the dispute; 3) There must be a positive law that contains the obligations of the disputing parties to come to the mediation event.