Collective Disputes Policy & Procedure - June 2026

5. Application

The County Council will only acknowledge a dispute if it is lodged by a recognised trade union on behalf of the group of employees in dispute regarding matters arising from their employment.

The procedure shall be flexible enough to allow for the first formal stage to be heard by a member of management of equivalent status to that of the employee’s manager if the dispute is against or otherwise involves a complaint about the manager who would normally hear a dispute at that level. 

Both parties will accept that normal working practices prevailing prior to the dispute shall continue to operate pending settlement and both parties will co-operate to ensure that the spirit of this clause is maintained, except where to continue the existing practice would constitute a hazard, or where statutory obligations apply.  The above clause will not apply in situations where changes are made to working arrangements and the change is in line with contracts of employment such as a change of base for example.

There will be no strike or any form of industrial action whilst this procedure is in progress.

Employees who wish to pursue a collective dispute should be allowed reasonable time off to seek the advice of their trade union representative.  The prior permission of the manager must be obtained which, subject to operational needs of the service, would not be unreasonably withheld.