ABSTRACT
The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) was established by the Employment Protection Act 1975 and took over the duties of the Commission on Industrial Relations. The ACAS Council consists of a chairman and part time members drawn from both sides of industry. ACAS provides conciliation services in industrial disputes; arranges for arbitration if required; formulates Codes of Practice for submission to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and employs Conciliation Officers to deal with individual complaints to employment tribunals (see 5.3). ‘It is the general duty of ACAS to promote the improvement of industrial relations.’ (s 26 of the Employment Relations Act 1999).
