Employers
hoping that Acas’s long awaited voluntary arbitration process will reduce the
time and cost of resolving work place disputes could be disappointed according
to The Industrial Society.
Yvonne
Bennion, co-author of the Industrial Society’s report Courts or Compromise?
Routes to resolving Disputes, believed that the Acas scheme could become as
rigid, formal and almost as expensive as the current employment tribunal
process.
The
report argues that alternative dispute resolution schemes such as the one
proposed by Acas, do not guarantee fairness or consistency in outcomes.
Bennion
said the best way to reduce the number of employment tribunals was for
employers to ensure managers did their best to nip work place disputes in the
bud.
She
explained, “These cases happen where managers have not taken action swiftly
enough, have not checked out the circumstances of a dispute or have not kept
the right records. Managers have got the chance to keep down the number of
disputes if they address these issues.”
Rita
Donaghy, chairman of Acas, speaking at the launch of the Industrial Society
report thought the Acas voluntary arbitration scheme which is due to start in
the summer had many benefits.
She
said, “We believe the new scheme will be a faster cheaper, more private and
informal option – far less overwhelming than the courtroom atmosphere of an
employment tribunal.”
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Ben
Willmott
