Originally from Dispute Resolution Journal

There are a variety of statutory alternatives to the strike in the public sector. Some jurisdictions provide for mediation, factfinding, legislative determination or some combination of these. A small but growing number of jurisdictions have established compulsory arbitration for the settlement of unresolved contract disputes, especially for disputes involving policemen or firemen. Despite the fact that only a few jurisdictions now have compulsory arbitration, the list of advocates is quite impressive.^ Many authorities feel that it is the only acceptable alternative to the strike in the public sector. In fact, compulsory arbitration has been hailed by one expert as "the wave of the future" in public employee disputes.