Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

AcasEmployee relationsDispute resolutionDepartment for Business and Trade (DBT)Latest News

Acas funding gap casts doubt on dispute resolution shake-up

by Mike Berry 27 Mar 2007
by Mike Berry 27 Mar 2007

Government proposals for greater use of mediation in resolving workplace disputes will fail unless arbitration service Acas receives more funding, employment experts have warned.

Last week a report by Michael Gibbons looking at improving employment dispute resolution recommended a “greatly increased role” for mediation, meaning additional work for the government-funded conciliation service Acas. Gibbons said he was encouraged by the success of mediation in civil disputes, and in employment disputes in the US and New Zealand.

Gibbons acknowledged that current Acas service was “effective and well regarded”, but warned that recent reductions in funding had “adversely affected” its level of involvement.

Acas has shed hundreds of staff over the past two years. And last year, the government announced the service’s budget would be slashed by 16% over three years.

Acas chairwoman Rita Donaghy admitted there would be “resource implications” if it was expected to play a bigger role.

“There is no doubt that if you reduce an organisation by almost 20% you will not be able to do everything you did before. If more is asked of us, we’ll need more resource,” she told Personnel Today.

But she ruled out holding a begging bowl to the government for extra money.

“We can’t just bleat about [lack of] cash, with the organisation going on about how broke it is,” she said.

Peter Schofield, director of employment and legal affairs at the manufacturers’ organisation EEF, and a member of the Gibbons review panel, said: “Acas obviously needs more resources as it already has had to tailor the way it delivers its services because of reduced income and personnel.”

The review was prompted by strong criticism for both employers and unions of the current statutory dispute resolution regulations, introduced in October 2004.

In a thinly veiled warning to employers, Gibbons said: “I trust those parties who have so strongly opposed the current regulations will as willingly accept the challenges that a different style of regulation will bring about.”

Feedback

“I was struck by the consensus that the intentions of the 2004 regulations were sound and there was a genuine attempt to keep them simple. But they have had unintended consequences, which have outweighed their benefits.” Michael Gibbons, review chairman

“It will never be easy to persuade employers to go down the mediation route, as there has always been a mindset that a tribunal is the place to resolve disputes.” Peter Schofield, director of employment and legal affairs, EEF

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“The challenge is to promote alternative dispute resolution techniques – including mediation – without creating counter-productive and time-wasting procedures that lack credibility.” Mike Emmott, employee relations adviser, CIPD

Mike Berry

previous post
Union stand-off as GMB rebels win recognition
next post
Equal pay for council workers: whose bill is it anyway?

You may also like

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

How neuroscience can unlock employee recognition

22 May 2025

UK universities fret over fall in international students

22 May 2025

HSBC employees warned of office attendance link to...

22 May 2025

The Law Society: Navigating the new world of...

22 May 2025

Workplace stress: Why it’s time to rebrand resilience

22 May 2025

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Fewer workers would comply with a return-to-office mandate

21 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+