Thank you for your answer.
As you told us, employers know the special legislation exists and thus have no reason to negotiate in good faith—even though they're supposed to under the law. The employer knows that eventually a mediator will be appointed and an agreement will be imposed. That signals to the employer from the get-go that it's not in their interest to bargain. Instead, they have an incentive to let the dispute drag on, exacerbating the problem and damaging labour relations. Would you agree?