The Non-Union Complaint System at MIT: An Upward-Feedback, Mediation Model

Abstract

Many corporations, universities, and other institutions have developed explicit, non-union complaint systems. The non-union complaint system at MIT is similar to those of several hundred other high-technology, white collar, and research oriented employers. The similarity is perhaps strongest with respect to what at MIT is called "redundancy": provision of enough, different, responsible channels for complaint that most people will find such a channel easily. The MIT complaint system is a mediation-oriented service, available with many other helping services, to all students and to all non-union employees including faculty and managers. It is meant to serve any member of the MIT community who has a concern. The emphasis is on communications, counselling, fact-finding, conciliation, and mediation, with adjudication where necessary. The complaints structure also serves as an explicit “upward-feedback™ channel, designed to help bring information to line managers in an orderly, timely and supportive fashion. This paper sets forth the policy (please see appendix) and a discussion of functions, structure and performance of the MIT complaint system.