ABSTRACT
An impasse may be the inevitable consequence of endless hours of bargaining without reaching agreement. An impasse amounts to an announcement that the process of collective bargaining is not an effective means to reach agreement on whatever the issues are. In practice, the impasse is a tactic of the employee organization. The employer has nothing to gain from the breakdown of the collective bargaining process. In education, the impasses that have occurred in collective bargaining for a contract have been resolved sooner or later—in one way or another. Mechanisms for resolving impasses necessarily utilize the services of third parties. Mediation, fact finding, and arbitration are the major mechanisms. Mediation is usually provided as a conciliation service by a state agency in accordance with state law. Fact finding is often a service provided by a state agency in accordance with state law.
