Employment/Labor Relations/EEO Mediation
Wally Tanksley brings a unique background and a dual perspective to the resolution of workplace disputes. He grew up in a family steeped in union philosophies, and he gained an early appreciation of the workplace from the employee viewpoint. His father retired after more than 40 years as an active member of the railway Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and two sisters are retired members of the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks. Wally's earliest work experience, starting at age 16, was in a non-union garment factory in the Southeastern U.S. where he gained a worker's perspective that would be valuable throughout his professional career. He has worked for more than 30 years in Human Resources and Labor Relations, negotiating countless collective bargaining agreements for General Electric Company as spokesman for the company. Wally recently earned a Master of Science in Conflict Management degree and has had advanced mediation training at Harvard, Pepperdine, and Northwestern University Law Schools and at Cornell University.
Tanksley is a contract mediator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and for the United States Postal Service. Understanding of both sides of the table enables him to be even-handed in the search for equitable solutions. Interest-based, problem-solving, and transformative mediation techniques may be applicable. He and the clients collaborate in applying the formula that is most effective.
Tanksley has more than 30 years experience negotiating contracts, processing grievances, and preparing for arbitrations as well as mediations and arbitrations involving many major international unions including the IAM, IBEW, IUE, UMW, UE, USW, AIW, BCTGM, Teamsters, AFGE, NFFE, PACE, IATSE, and others. He brings to employment/labor disputes a unique understanding of, and respect for both sides of the table, enabling him to be a very even-handed neutral facilitator/decision maker.