Police Industrial Dispute Resolution Processes and Their Implications for Militancy

Abstract

The study notes the present high level of police industrial militancy. Industrial dispute resolution processes available to police are reviewed in each jurisdiction with a view to judging the nature of their impact on militancy. Two basic styles for resolution exist: collective bargaining and arbitration. Collective bargaining is seen as being the preferred method of resolution where situations are favour able to its use. Arbitration is practised in one of two basic forms; through the Industrial Commissions and through the Tribunals. Industrial Commissions provide the greater flexibility. There appears to be a trend to arbitration in the resolution of disputes as employers assume a tougher negotiating posture. The study shows that the forms of arbitration utilised are limited. Greater employee satisfaction may be expected to accrue from the utilisation of a greater variety of arbitration styles and increased liaison. Improved industrial relations would hopefully reduce the number of industrial grievances occurring in the first instance. The authors conclude that, in general terms, dispute resolution pro cesses are less effective than they might be—the most urgent areas for reform being the provision of arbitration for disputes of a non-economic nature and ways of improving employees' commitment to all arbitration outcomes and not only to those which grant their demands.