10.2190/ECY1-B78D-9NC7-DXKT ECY1B78D9NC7DXKT 0 THE MEDIATION OF CONTRACT DISPUTES IN THE IOWA PUBLIC SECTOR 20020509 20020509 20020509 20020509 http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=ECY1B78D9NC7DXKT 2 DAVID A. DILTS AND LAWRENCE J. HABER The contention of this article is that systematic differences exist in the success rates of mediation, dependent on the source of the mediator (FMCS, PERB, or <em>ad hoc</em>). All cases resulting from impasses in Iowa in the 1987 impasse year were analyzed. The findings are that, in aggregate, FMCS mediators have significantly above-average success in settling disputes before they reach fact finding, while <em>ad hoc</em> mediators have significantly below-average success rates. Whether these differences in success rates result from differences in mediation techniques or from the skills, training, and experience of the mediators cannot be inferred from the data.