michael A. Tomko
MEDIATION | ARBITRATION | CONSULTING | FACILITATION
"Throughout my professional career, I have dedicated myself to championing the principles of fairness, equality, and equity. My true calling emerges when I engage with parties in conflict, guide them toward mutually beneficial resolutions, and help them move beyond their dispute. This is not just my work; it is a fundamental part of who I am and the meaningful contribution I make."
ABOUT MIKE
Michael Tomko is an independent arbitrator and mediator specializing in resolving employment, labor, and consumer disputes. Mike is an active arbitrator on the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) Labor Arbitration Panel, American Arbitration Association (AAA) Labor Arbitration Panel, and the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Consumer Arbitration Panel. Mike also conducts private mediation and appears on several court mediation rosters.
Before his career in dispute resolution, Mike spent twenty-five years working for national and global manufacturing firms, primarily within the automotive sector. He started his career as an hourly production employee and progressed into executive leadership roles such as Vice President of Operations and Vice President of Human Resources. Mike has over fifteen years of executive leadership experience specializing in labor/employee relations and manufacturing operations. Mike has expert knowledge and experience in collective bargaining, grievance investigation and administration, lean manufacturing, mediation, arbitration, EEOC, NLRB, and litigation. This diverse work experience gives Mike a unique perspective on grievance arbitration and employment disputes.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
ISSUES
Absenteeism, Bargaining Unit Work, Benefits (Bonus, Holidays, Insurance, Leave, Vacation), Civil Cases, Conduct, Contract interpretation / application, Demotion, Discipline, Discharge, Discrimination (age, disability, race, sex, religion, national origin), Drug/Alcohol Offenses, Harassment, Hiring Practices, Job Performance, Job Posting/Bidding, Landlord/Tenant, Layoffs/Bumping/Recall, Management Rights, Neutrality & Card Check, Past Practices, Promotion, Safety/Health Conditions, Seniority, Sexual Harassment, Small Claims, Strikes, Wages (cost-of-living pay, holiday pay, incentive pay, job classification & rates, overtime pay, severance pay, vacation pay), Work Stoppages, Work Hours / Schedules, Work Assignment, Working Conditions, Work Orders, Violence or Threats.
INDUSTRIES
Aerospace, Automotive, Construction, Education, Electronics, Food Manufacturing, Food Service, Foundry, Furniture, General Manufacturing, Health Care, Machinery, Office Workers/Clerical, Police and Fire, Retail, Warehousing.
ARBITRATION PANELS
American Arbitration Association, panel of labor arbitrators (www.adr.org)
American Arbitration Association, panel of consumer arbitrators (www.adr.org)
Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS), panel of labor arbitrators (www.FMCS.gov)
FINRA, arbitrator (www.finra.org)
International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), Employment Disputes Panel (www.cpradr.org)
International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR), General Commercial ADR Panel (www.cpradr.org)
MEDIATION PANELS
First Court, mediation panel
State of Michigan 6th Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
State of Michigan 13th Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
State of Michigan 17th Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
State of Michigan 20th Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
State of Michigan 27th Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
State of Michigan 33rd Circuit Court, general civil mediator panel
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
American Bar Association, Associate Member
American Bar Association, Section for Dispute Resolution, Fellow (Bar years 2021- 2022)
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CiArb)
Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM)
State Bar of Michigan, Associate Member
ARBITRATOR TRAINING
Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Arbitration Law Update, American Bar Association (ABA)
Arbitration Training Institute, American Bar Association (ABA)
Awarding Attorney Fees, Costs, and Post-Award Interest in Arbitrations, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Basic Arbitrator, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Cyber Security, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
How to Make the Best-Informed Decision, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS)
Just Cause or Just Because, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS)
Labor Arbitrator I, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Labor Arbitrator II, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Labor Arbitrator Roundtable 2023, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Labor Arbitration, Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS)
Labor Arbitration Advocacy Case Preparation, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
Labor Law and Labor Arbitration, Labor Arbitration Institute
Final Status Conference in Arbitration, American Bar Association (ABA)
Process Essentials for AAA Arbitrators, American Arbitration Association (AAA)
MEDIATOR TRAINING
Alternative Dispute Resolution, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Bankruptcy Basics for Mediators, American Bar Association (ABA)
Breaking Impasse, State Bar of Michigan ADR Section
Ethics and the Art of Settlement at Mediation, American Bar Association (ABA)
Evaluation Mediation: How and When, American Bar Association (ABA)
General Civil Mediator Training (SCAO), Oakland Mediation Center
Help clients by Combining "Facilitative" and "Evaluative" Mediation, American Bar Association (ABA)
Impartiality: do you know your Biases, American Arbitration Association
Legal Writing, American Bar Association (ABA)
Mediation Evaluation Techniques and Human Factors, American Bar Association (ABA)
Mediating High Conflict Disputes, High Conflict Institute
Pet Law 101, American Bar Association (ABA)
The Neuroscience of Conflict, American Bar Association (ABA)
PUBLICATIONS & SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Speaker & Panelist: "Trends and Technology in Dispute Resolution: A Global Perspective", Utatuzi Center ADR Week (2021)
EDUCATION
Harvard Business School, PLD (2008)
Michigan State University, Master Certificate in Human Resource Management (2017)