Be advised: get to know ACAS
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TI li-. NEW -tio striketype ot agreement has been greeted with enthusiasm by ACAS Arbitration Services General Conciliation Officer Dennis Boyd.
He said that while there is no such thing as a no strike agreement the work force agrees not to take industrial action providing any dispute follows the correct procedure the method plays a "good and encouraging way of avoiding industrial action".
The Nissan no strike agreement with the engineering union, the A UEW, is being studied with interest by many managements and unions, he said.
There is complete agreement for the guiding scheme, wide labour flexibility provisions, works councils, as well as dispute resolution proceedings with both Nissan management and the A (JEW.
Then the whole system is "underpinned by a pendulum of straight choice-. Boyd said. If there is still no agreement, arbitration is a valuable instrument of the last resort, he added.
When David Roberts, BP Oil distribution planning manager argued that the idea of forcing straight choice decisions with either the management or union having to give in completely was "brilliant", the ACAS man was more cautious.
Boyd warned, "It is a long term game, not a one year game. Winners and losers are fine on a sense, hut if its too frequently used it would he misused-.
For more general management procedures he stressed the importance of conflict containment.
He said operators need an organisational structure which maximises managerial autonomy at the lowest possible level. And in agreement with trade unions a compatible form of collective bargaining is needed.
Management should also ensure the adequacy of negotiation, grievance, disciplinary and other procedures in agreement with unions, he said.
lt is important that agreements are observed by management and that their actions should be as fair and consistent as possible.
It's a "business necessitytoo for employees to be involved in there. Whether this includes financial participation Or not, drivers and other employees should always be consulted
and kept informed of the company plans, Boyd said.
But if problems do arise he pleaded for management and unions to come to ACAS for free independent arbitration.
"Look to the option of going to ACAS if you are faced with a tribunal situation", he told delegates. Around 40 per cent of the 45,000 cases ACAS receives a year over individual conciliation arc solved in arbitration, he said.
And of the 2,0(X) of the year's collective conciliation problems, ACAS has an 85 per cent success rate, he said.
He also urged both sides of the industry to use ACAS for advice on industrial relation matters of all kinds, and to use its publications in the same way.