Who do Acas go to when their workers strike?...

Pic: A PCS strike last year.

“We support good relationships between employers and employees which underpin business success. But when things go wrong we help by providing conciliation to resolve workplace problems.”

Warm words from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. But they’re a bit stymied now – the dispute resolution body face a strike of their own.

Staff at Acas are on a ‘work to rule’ today – and are planning full strike action.

Acas “provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law.” It acts as sort of ‘marriage counsel’ when things turn sour between employees and bosses – and is widely credited with reducing the need for strike action.

Yet Acas staff will today start a work to rule following what the civil servents’ PCS union say is “management’s refusal to deal with long-standing concerns over down grading of work, and unmanageable workloads in the conciliation service.”

Talks to resolve the dispute have been ongoing since July last year and PCS members plan to take strike action on 11th May and two days on June 6-7th if the dispute remains unresolved, according to the union.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said:

“Our members take no pleasure in taking this action. But they have been backed into a corner after working hard to reach an acceptable deal since last summer. It really has come to something when people who run a conciliation service can’t negotiate effectively with their own workforce.”

The union say that changes imposed on staff by Acas management include the ‘downgrading’ of conciliation work, but also unmanageable workloads following the surge in employment tribunal claims following the Supreme Court victory by Unison last year.

An Acas spokesperson told Left Foot Forward:

“We are disappointed that some of our staff have decided to take industrial action short of a strike. We have had regular discussions with PCS, we are committed to seeking a resolution and continue to work with our trade unions.

The organisation said some of its services ‘continue to operate as normal’, adding:

“We have plans in place to minimise disruption to our individual conciliation service and maintain the best possible service to our customers.”

None of this will do Acas’ brand any favours – nor that of its chair: former TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.

More follows.

Josiah Mortimer is Editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow him on Twitter.

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