Page 17 - Workplace Relations Guide to Employment Law

The Workplace Mediation Service is focused The conciliation process is informal and non-
on assisting parties to deal effectively with legalistic in its practice. The parties are free
issues that arise in the workplace. The to represent themselves or be represented by
provision of this service is subject to the trade unions or by employer organisations. The
availability of resources within the Workplace Commission does not believe that the nature
Relations Commission. of the process requires legal representation of
either party at conciliation meetings.
Conciliation Services
All requests for assistance and inquires
may be referred in writing and should be
The purpose and mission of the Workplace directed to the Director of Conciliation,
Relations Commission’s conciliation Workplace Relations Commission, Workplace
service is to provide an impartial, fast and Mediation and Early Resolution Services and
effective conciliation service operating to a or by contacting the Workplace Relations
uniformly high standard in both the public Commission’s Conciliation Services or by
and private sectors. using the online Conciliation Referral Form
on www.workplacerelations.ie.
Conciliation is a voluntary process in which the
parties to a dispute agree to avail of a neutral
and impartial third party to assist them in Advisory Services
resolving their industrial relations differences.
The Workplace Relations Commission’s
The Workplace Relations Commission
provides a conciliation service by making Advisory Service promotes good practice
available Industrial Relations Officers of the in the workplace by assisting and advising
Commission to chair ‘conciliation conferences’. organisations in all aspects of industrial
These officers are sometimes referred to as relations in the workplace. It engages
‘IROs’ or as ‘Conciliation Officers’. Conciliation with employers, employees and their
conferences are basically an extension of representatives to help them to develop
the process of direct negotiations, with an effective industrial relations practices,
independent chairperson present to steer the procedures and structures. Such assistance
discussions and explore possible avenues of could include reviewing or developing
settlement in a non-prejudicial fashion. effective workplace procedures in areas such
as grievance, discipline, communications and
consultation.
Participation in the conciliation process
is voluntary, and so too are the outcomes.
Solutions are reached only by consensus, It facilitates joint management–staff forums
whether by negotiation and agreements to work through issues of mutual concern;
facilitated between the parties themselves, for example workplace change or difficult
or by the parties agreeing to settlement industrial relations issues.
terms proposed by the Conciliation Officer.
It provides good practice training workshops
on a variety of aspects of the employment
The Industrial Relations Officer treats as
confidential all information received during relationship including the operation of
the course of conciliation. workplace procedures and, through a
facilitative process, can assist organisations
to implement them. In addition, the Advisory

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