Employee voice regimes and the characteristics of conflict: an analysis of the 2003 survey of employment tribunal applications

Abstract

This article investigates the extent to which the characteristics and outcomes of Employment Tribunal Applications (ETAs) differ according to whether (1) unions have a role in workplace voice and whether (2) HR departments have a role in workplace voice. We find that ETAs from workplaces with a union presence are less likely to result in an adverse ruling against the employer. Interpreting the judgement of employment tribunals as an evaluation of the effectiveness of workplace voice regime, this finding suggests that Employment Tribunals (and the employment legislation they consider) provide unions with a framework within which they contribute to workplace performance.