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enforced by the courts.
"All kinds of cases come before us,"
said Marjorie Katz of Huntington
Woods, who serves on the OMC
board of trustees and has been a vol-
unteer mediator for six years. She
retired 10 years ago after 20 years on
the staff of Wayne State University's
Center for Peace and Conflict Studies.
"We just had a case," said Katz,
"where an employee of a local syna-
gogue complained that the president
of the sisterhood insulted her. The
case was settled quickly because all she
wanted was an apology from the per-
Nancy Klein is executive director of the
son — and she got it."
Oakland Mediation Center.
Some mediation sessions are brief,
like the one involving the synagogue,
Martin Reisig of Birmingham, a lawyer,
and some last seven to nine hours. But
who also serves on the OMC board.
the average mediation is two to three
Flam's wife, Marilyn, a retired teacher,
hours. "The disputants usually agree
also mediates.
to settle after sitting face-to-face and
Burdick is a retired psychoanalyst and
hearing calm explanations from each
former professor at Oakland University,
other," said Klein.
who taught conflict classes there. He
An abbreviated form of the media-
brought his expertise to the OMC.
tion process is called conciliation,
"Cases are referred here by the courts,
whereby the mediators settle a case with
the
police, word-of-mouth, many differ-
the two parties by going back and forth
ent ways," he said. "A case may involve a
with them over the phone. Usually, one
person who dumps garbage on his
makes a financial offer that satisfies the
neighbor's property, or someone who
other and ends the dispute.
wants his neighbor to get rid of a car
When the center opened a decade
that has become an eyesore in the neigh-
ago, there were only 15 mediators to
borhood, or two families who have been
handle 140 cases. Last year, about 1,200
feuding for years, like the legendary
cases were referred to the OMC. "Only
Hatfields and McCoys.
5 percent of civil cases filed in Oakland
"Most of these people never really
County courts result in trials anyway,"
talked to each other before mediation
said Klein. "The rest are settled or dis-
... just called each other names, or
missed before trial. Meanwhile, the dis-
may just have written nasty letters to
putants may incur substantial costs and
each other. Then they sit face-to-face
legal fees along the way, so they might as
for the first time and usually solve
well try mediation first.
their problem. Mediation is simply an
"They may have to wait a year or
effective method of resolving conflict."
more for a trial date. Also, people in
The U.S. Post Office, beset by prob-
conflict experience a lot of stress,
lems among postal workers that have
which can be alleviated by early reso-
resulted in shootings in recent years,
lution of the problem and closure."
uses the OMC to mediate conflicts.
Mediators must undergo 40 hours
Burdick would like to see the major
of training approved by the State
automotive manufacturers do the same
Court Administrative Office and a 10-
because many mediations come from
hour internship. Many have more
employer-employee disagreements.
than 100 hours of experience in medi-
He also would like to see the medi-
ation sessions.
ation process incorporated into the
judicial system in Michigan courts.
Jewish Mediators
This is now done in only three states.
Among the mediators are Harvey
"As it stands now, mediation can only
Burdick of Bloomfield Hills, a 10-year
be suggested by the courts," he said.
OMC veteran who sat in on 300 cases
Sam Flam, a mediator for six years,
last year; Sam Flam of Farminton Hills,
pointed out there is an equal amount
who retired nine years ago as superin-
of diversity among both the disputants
tendent of the Berkley Public Schools;
and the mediators. "People from all
David Rosenthal of Southfield, who is a
walks of life — all religions, races and
commercial contractor; Albert Ascher of
ethnic backgrounds — come before
Huntington Woods, who spent 19 years
us," he said. "They are rich, poor, illit-
as director of the Jewish Vocational
erate and partially deaf or blind.
Service before retiring in 1991; and