Industrial disputes becoming more polarised

Two new reports from workplace expert Acas published today show that groups involved in industrial disputes are increasingly polarised.

The reports look at people’s perceptions of group workplace conflict in Britain and Acas’s role in helping to resolve them.

Acas is the leading authority on workplace relations and dispute resolution in Great Britain.

Acas provides a free, impartial and voluntary collective conciliation service, which means when there is a disagreement between an employer and a group of employees, Acas can help both sides try to come to an agreement and settle the dispute.

The evaluation shows that Acas’s collective conciliation remains highly rated amongst those who use it; but those involved in workplace conflict are becoming more polarised and are increasingly unsure how to resolve the issue.

Decreasing negotiation skills, lack of experience of handling collective conflict, increasingly polarised starting positions and challenging economic and political factors have all contributed to an increase in parties seeking Acas’s help.

Acas Director of Dispute Resolution Kate Nowicki said:

“Industrial disputes increased last year against a challenging economic and political backdrop, and we have seen the landscape of collective workplace conflict become more complex, with opposing positions often more entrenched.

“Despite this, our research shows that satisfaction levels amongst Acas customers remain very high. We are listening carefully to what people say about us, gaining new insights to make sure that our conciliation service is as good as it can be.

“This validation of the service comes at an important time, as the employment relations landscape faces significant change with the introduction of the government’s Employment Rights Bill.”

Acas Chief Conciliator Marina Glasgow added:

“The report underlines the importance of Acas as an impartial, independent expert in workplace disputes and it reflects our success.

“I’m delighted that the research shows that the vast majority of our customers get good outcomes for their organisations. Turning to Acas is a hallmark of success, not failure, and this research validates that choice.

“It is extremely satisfying to be able to help people in heated, entrenched situations come out the other side able to shake hands and move forward.”

Acas was involved in 618 collective disputes between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.acas.org.uk/about-us/evaluations/acas-collective-conciliation-evaluation

https://www.acas.org.uk/research-and-commentary/workplace-conflict/continuity-and-change-in-collective-workplace-conflict