Alternative Dispute Resolution in Labour Disputes

Malcolm Boswell mboswell@acas.org.uk

2nd June 2010

About us:

• Non Departmental Government Body• Mainly state funded – some income generation• Responsible to Acas Council – provides legitimacy• 30 years experience• Independent and neutral• Advise, conciliate and arbitrate

• Focus on dispute prevention and non judicial resolution

The need for ADR:

• 1960’s Trade Union protection of individual rights• Donovan Report – Unfair Dismissal protection – Acas

Code of Practice• Growth in individual employment rights• Growth in number of claims• Increase in length of hearings• 1999 Routes to Resolution White Paper – Cost of

judicial determination unsustainable • 2002 Act – Statutory Disciplinary and Grievance

Procedures• 2008 Act – Re-launch of Acas Code of Practice – ADR

– return to Pre Claim Conciliation

From determination to prevention

DISPUTE DETERMINATION

ADR

ADR

DISPUTE PREVENTIONDISPUTE PREVENTION

DISPUTE DETERMINATION

DESIRABLEUNSTABLE

A B

Collective action: Stoppage days, 1960–2006

Stoppages in progress during the year

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Source: Office for National Statistics

Individual action:Employment Tribunal claims, 1972–2006

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Pre Claim Conciliation

The reawakening of Sec.134 EPCA/non ET 1 settlement:

ET Claims Non ET1s Total

1989 19,632 17,692 37,3241990 23,917 13,647 37,564

Acas stops promoting its non ET1 service.

1991 36,036 3,198 39,2341992 41,902 2,132 44,034

2009 10,000 PCCs undertaken

Types of ADR - individual:

• Informal procedures and good management

• Critical friend • Formal Grievance procedures – but!

• Mediation – facilitative – directive - with recommendations –internal or external

• Arbitration

• Conciliation – pre and cost claim to labour court

• Judicial mediation

Types of ADR – collective:

• Early neutral evaluation

• Boards of enquiry/investigations

• Conciliation/Mediation

• Arbitration

• Informal communication – working with reps/managers

Advantages:

• Cheaper and less resource intensive• Confidential• Voluntary • More likely to maintain working relationship• More likely to improve post working relationship• Provides remedies not available at labour court• Less likely to draw others in to conflict• More pleasant for all concerned• Swifter resolution• Leads to cultural change within the organisation

Final thoughts:

• All disputes come to an end

• All disputes leave a legacy

• There is no silver bullet

• Relationships have to be worked at

• Prevention is better than cure

• Both sides can use the law

• The need for benchmark data – Engagement – Acas Model Workplace