Distinguished speaker:Safeguarding employee rights in Europe and the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the majority of employment disputes are resolved by Employment Tribunals, rather than civil courts. A statutory body – the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (or “ACAS”) advises employers, employer associations, workers and trade unions, and any party to a dispute (existing or anticipated) can request the assistance of ACAS. The main role of ACAS is conciliating disputes between employers and individual workers. The history, function and future roles of the Employment Tribunals and of the ACAS are examined, as are the impact of the UK’s joining the European Economic Community (“EEC”) and the role of the European Court of Justice (the “EJC”). This is followed by Arbitrator Herbert L. Marx, Jr’s observations about the differences between the UK system of workplace dispute resolution, and that of the United States.