I refer to your report Complainants forced to buy submissions from IRD officials: Bar Council (May 15).

I have been involved in numerous cases, representing employees and later employers for the last 13 years. I wish to say there had never been any such demands made by any of the Industrial Relations Department officers I have worked with. I have a hunch that the lawyers are complaining because they are deprived the opportunity to earn good money by helping dismissed employees to prepare submissions.

However, there are some inconsistencies, which the director of industrial relations can help to resolve regarding submissions. Some IRD officers expect submissions from both parties while there are some who say it is not necessary to make any submissions because it is their own duty to submit on the facts presented by both parties to the deciding authorities in the Human Resources Ministry. The director-general should make a stand on whether there is any need for a submission on matters that failed conciliation efforts.

If he decides there is no necessity to make submissions, he must be prepared to face accusations of his staff being biased in their reports.

It is my opinion and I am sure many will agree that, all these controversies can be avoided if all unresolved matters are referred directly to the Industrial Court without going through the bureaucracies involved in vetting cases. I do not see why unresolved cases cannot be referred to the court directly.

After all, at least 25 to 30 percent of the cases referred are settled out of court on an amicable settlement basis. I am sure if cases go directly to the Industrial Courts for settlement, the success rates of cases amicably settled during conciliation at the IRD will increase drastically because employers will be more resolved to do so. Here again we must be mindful that the employee can make unreasonable demands because s/he is guaranteed of referral to the Industrial Court.

The above will surely reduce the backlog of cases in the IRD but may increase the workload of the IR Courts. My suggestions may not be accepted but it is important that I write to clear the good name of the IRD though just like other public or private organisations there will always be one or two unscrupulous officers marring the good name of their organisations.