Acas hails significant resolutions

A “significant” number of large-scale industrial disputes have been dealt with by the conciliation service Acas in the last year, it has been revealed. The service said nine out of 10 cases – which include the London Underground, British Airways and British Airports Authority disputes – were either resolved or have seen firms and unions moving towards a deal. More than 1,000 collective disputes were sorted out by Acas, a rise of 15% on the previous year, while 18,000 individual disputes were dealt with between workers and employers. Meanwhile, upwards of a million calls were answered in the past year over changes to employment laws covering a variety of issues. Acas chairman Ed Sweeney said: “We’ve had another busy year with increased use of our services. There have been a number of high-profile collective disputes and it’s encouraging to see employers and trade unions willing to get round the negotiating table to reach agreement. “The success of our pre-claim conciliation service was highlighted by the Government’s proposal to expand it in their resolving workplace disputes consultation. We know that tackling issues in the workplace as early as possible can save time, money and stress for all involved. Our main priority for this year will be to continue supporting economic growth by helping organisations manage their people well, prevent disputes and resolve them where they do occur.” Our Employment team provides advice on the employment aspects of all major business decisions. For advice, contact a member of the team, call us on 08456 381381 or email employment@ibblaw.co.uk.