(a) In addition to such other duties and powers as may be conferred upon him or her by law, the Director of the Department of Labor shall have the power, jurisdiction, and authority:

(1)

(A) To intervene or authorize his or her representative to intervene in any labor dispute in a strictly conciliatory or mediatory capacity whenever he or she is extended a written invitation to do so by either party to the controversy.

(B) However, the Department of Labor may proffer its services to both parties when a work stoppage is threatened and neither party requests intervention;

(2) To do all in his or her power to promote the voluntary arbitration of disputes between employers and employees and to avoid the necessity of resorting to lockouts, boycotts, blacklists, discriminations, and legal proceedings in matters of employment.

(b)

(1) In pursuance of his or her duty, whenever both sides to any controversy agree to voluntary arbitration, the director may appoint temporary boards of arbitration, prescribe rules of procedure for the arbitration boards, conduct investigations and hearings, publish reports and advertisements, and do all things convenient and necessary to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter.

(2) Members of the boards of arbitration may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq.

(c)

(1) The director may designate an employee of the department to act as chief mediator and may detail other employees or persons not in the department from time to time to act as his or her assistants for the purpose of executing these provisions.

(2) Employees of the department shall serve on temporary boards without extra compensation.