Confidentiality. Council proceedings are strictly confidential and protected by Washington State mediation law, allowing all parties to safely communicate and seek resolution.

Employee Retains Right to Pursue Other Avenues.  While using the Council process, the employee may preserve access to other avenues for resolving concerns, such as union grievances or relief under whistleblower protection laws. All other avenues, however, must be put on hold if an employee seeks resolution through the Council. The employee may withdraw from the Council process at any time.

Balanced & Collaborative Process.  The Council membership is comprised of multiple perspectives, including worker advocates, neutrals and contractor senior managers. The contractor members are appointed through a special nominating process and have authority delegated by the CEO to resolve issues in a fair way based on the facts of each case.  Together, this balanced group assesses the concern and reaches a recommendation for “full, fair, and final resolution” of the individual employee’s concerns. These different perspectives, combined with a shared commitment to reaching resolution through candid discussion and consensus, facilitate deeper understanding of the issues and result in innovative, effective solutions to complex situations.

Stabilization & Support. The Council can often stabilize a conflict situation prior to final resolution by easing pressure from peers or supervisors or creating interim mechanisms to prevent escalation.  By also offering emotional support and guidance during the resolution process, the Council can further ease the stress and isolation so commonly felt by employees who raise workplace concerns.

Creative & Effective Resolutions. The Presidents of the member companies have agreed, per the terms of the Council Charter, to presumptively implement the Council’s recommendations.  These recommendations can include practical solutions that preserve employee careers, address their underlying concerns, and target systemic and cultural issues to improve future practices.