The conciliation service provided by the Department of Industrial and Employment Relations : a critical review

Abstract

This dissertation presents a critical review of the conciliation service provided by the Department of Industrial Relations and assesses the level of effectiveness of conciliation meetings. It proves that these conciliation services are indeed fruitful and that their success depends to a large extent on the personality and approach of the main actors and, most importantly, on those of the conciliator. I have based this dissertation upon my own personal work experience of conciliation meetings, upon interviews made to Mr. Frank Pullicino - Director of Industrial and Employment Relations and also upon relevant literature. Chapter 1 covers the legislation governing and regulating the conciliation meetings. Chapter 2 deals with the dynamics of mediation and is, essentially, a behind-the-scenes look at what a conciliation meeting involves such as the preparation process, the discussions, the outcome and any follow-ups. The environment in which the conciliation meetings are held and the unwritten norms and protocol that are religiously followed are also illustrated. Chapter 3 is an analysis of two case studies; one where amicable agreement was reached and one where amicable agreement failed to be reached. Chapter 4 deals with the effectiveness of the conciliation service offered by the Department.