The Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC) resolves labor disputes involving public and private sector employees by appointing mediators, arbitrators and fact finders, conducting union representation elections, determining appropriate bargaining units, and adjudicating unfair labor practice cases.  MERC, supported by the staff of the Bureau of Employment Relations, administers three statutes:

• the Public Employment Relations Act (PERA)- a labor relations statute which grants all public employees within the state of Michigan, excluding classified civil service employees of the state and federal government, the right to organize and be represented by labor organizations of their choice.

• the Labor Relations and Mediation Act (LMA)- a statute regulating collective bargaining relationships between private sector unions and small private sector employers not falling within the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Act.

• the Compulsory Arbitration Act (312)- a statute providing for compulsory binding arbitration of labor-management disputes involving public safety employees.