Three-quarters of employers think parties should use mediation

A survey for Acas has found that nearly four out of five employers (78%) believe the various sides involved in strike action should seek independent mediation to resolve their disputes.

A poll carried out for the conciliation and arbitration service asked respondents whether they thought the various sides in dispute taking strike action should seek independent mediation. Only 7% said that they should not seek independent mediation and 15% did not know, it stated.

The organisation reported that it has seen a 20% rise in demand for its collective conciliation compared to the same period last year. It typically handles over 500 collective disputes a year.

“Acas has decades of experience in resolving conflict,” Acas director of dispute resolution, Kate Nowicki, commented. “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.”