When an industrial dispute arises, the main aim of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is to settle a complaint or claim without the necessity for it to go before an industrial tribunal.

Complaints relating to such matters as equal pay or sex discrimination are sent by the industrial tribunal to a Conciliation Officer, who will attempt to settle the dispute, if the complainant asks him to or if he thinks that there is a good chance of a settlement, without the need for a full hearing before the industrial tribunal. The procedure before the Conciliation Officer is completely informal, and any statement made to him is not admissible in later proceedings before an industrial tribunal unless the person making the statement agrees.

If conciliation fails, the dispute will be heard by an industrial tribunal, which is concerned with such matters as disputes arising out of contracts of employment, unfair dismissal, redundancy, equal pay and sex discrimination. The chairman of the tribunal is a barrister or solicitor of at least seven years’ standing, who sits with two other persons who have knowledge or experience of employment problems in industry and commerce. The tribunal has power to make or refuse a monetary award, the amount depending on the circumstances of the particular case. Hearings before the industrial tribunal are usually in public, although in exceptional circumstances they may be in private. Decisions are either unanimous or by a majority, and are recorded in a document which gives the reasons for the decision.

See Also:
Tribunals