(a) If the parties are at an impasse in negotiations, either party may petition the Commissioner of Labor to appoint a mediator. The Commissioner shall within 30 days serve as a mediator, or shall appoint a mediator, who shall communicate with the employer and the employees or their representatives and endeavor by mediation to obtain an amicable settlement. Any mediator so appointed shall be a person of high standing in no way actively connected with labor or management.
(b) Nothing in this section shall prevent the Commissioner from serving as a mediator or from appointing a mediator in the absence of a petition if the Commissioner determines that an impasse exists and that the public interest so requires.