Workplace disputes legislation to be debated at Westminster

Draft legislation designed to encourage early resolution of workplace disputes and reduce the need for tribunal cases is shortly to be debated at Westminster, it was revealed today.

Highlighting the importance of the proposed measures to speed up and simplify dispute resolution in the workplace, Employment Minister Jane Kennedy said: "No-one wants to see disputes at work, but inevitably they do occur from time to time. The draft Employment (Northern Ireland) Order aims primarily to ensure that such problems are addressed as early as possible.

"It is intended to provide a framework to help both employers and employees avoid, where they possibly can, the stress and expense of taking their case before a tribunal."

The Minister explained that the draft legislation would introduce:

• minimum statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures in every workplace;
• scope for industrial tribunals or the Fair Employment Tribunal to reduce or increase awards where the employee or employer has failed to follow these new procedures;
• added scope for tribunals to award costs and expenses where the way a case is conducted warrants it;
• a fixed voluntary period of conciliation to promote early settlement of disputes;
• a statutory right for trade union learning representatives to a reasonable amount of paid time off for training and to perform their duties;
• a statutory right to unpaid time off for certain employees to access the services provided by a union learning representative; and
• a questionnaire procedure that can be used where an employee feels that someone of a different sex performing the same work is receiving more pay.

Ms Kennedy said she was convinced that the new measures would play a significant part in promoting better employment relations throughout Northern Ireland.

(MB)