Employers say those in strike disputes should seek mediation

Four out of five employers think that the sides involved in strike action should seek independent mediation, according to a survey by conciliation service Acas.

The research found that 78% think that the various sides involved in strike action should seek independent mediation to resolve their dispute.

NHS employers in England face another 72-hour strike by junior doctors this week, but the government has ignored calls from the British Medical Association to agree to Acas-mediated talks.

The YouGov poll asked whether decision-makers in employers thought the various sides in disputes where there is strike action should seek independent mediation. Only 7% of respondents said they should not seek independent mediation and 15% did not know.

Acas director of dispute resolution Kate Nowicki said: “It is clear from our poll that an overwhelming majority of employers would like to see the various sides involved in strike action using independent mediation.

“Acas has decades of experience in resolving conflict and we have a team of experts that are well prepared and ready to help with the disputes dominating the headlines now.

“However, we can only hold formal mediation talks when all the parties in dispute agree that the time is right to use our free and independent collective conciliation service.”

Acas has seen a 20% rise in demand for its collective conciliation compared to the same period last year. This help has included confidential background support to the parties involved in strike action.

It said that using an independent, impartial conciliator in a long-running dispute can help bring a calm, fresh pair of eyes to identify common ground between the sides in dispute and find a way forward, helping to break the deadlock.

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Acas commissioned YouGov to poll senior decision-makers in a representative sample of British businesses by company size. The survey was carried out online and the total sample size was 1,015 senior decision-makers excluding sole traders.

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