18.—(1) If the Court accepts an application under paragraph 11(2) or 12(2) it must try to help the parties to reach within the appropriate period an agreement as to what the appropriate bargaining unit is.N.I.
(2) The appropriate period is[F2 (subject to any notice under sub-paragraph (3), (4) or (5))]
(a)the period of 20 working days starting with the day after that on which the Court gives notice of acceptance of the application, or
(b)such longer period (so starting) as the Court must specify to the parties by notice containing reasons for the extension.
[F2(3) If, during the appropriate period, the Court concludes that there is no reasonable prospect of the parties' agreeing an appropriate bargaining unit before the time when (apart from this sub-paragraph) the appropriate period would end, the Court may, by a notice given to the parties, declare that the appropriate period ends with the date of the notice.
(4) If, during the appropriate period, the parties apply to the Court for a declaration that the appropriate period is to end with a date (specified in the application) which is earlier than the date with which it would otherwise end, the Court may, by a notice given to the parties, declare that the appropriate period ends with the specified date.
(5) If the Court has declared under sub-paragraph (4) that the appropriate period ends with a specified date, it may before that date by a notice given to the parties specify a later date with which the appropriate period ends.
(6) A notice under sub-paragraph (3) must contain reasons for reaching the conclusion mentioned in that sub-paragraph.
(7) A notice under sub-paragraph (5) must contain reasons for the extension of the appropriate period.]
[F318A.—(1) This paragraph applies if the Court accepts an application under paragraph 11(2) or 12(2).N.I.
(2) Within 5 working days starting with the day after that on which the Court gives the employer notice of acceptance of the application, the employer must supply the following information to the union (or unions) and the Court—
(a)a list of the categories of worker in the proposed bargaining unit,
(b)a list of the workplaces at which the workers in the proposed bargaining unit work, and
(c)the number of workers the employer reasonably believes to be in each category at each workplace.
(3) The lists and numbers supplied under this paragraph must be as accurate as is reasonably practicable in the light of the information in the possession of the employer at the time when he complies with sub-paragraph (2).
(4) The lists and numbers supplied to the union (or unions) and to the Court must be the same.
(5) For the purposes of this paragraph, the workplace at which a worker works is—
(a)if the person works at or from a single set of premises, those premises, and
(b)in any other case, the premises with which the workers employment has the closest connection.]
[F419.—(1) This paragraph applies if—N.I.
(a)the Court accepts an application under paragraph 11(2) or 12(2),
(b)the parties have not agreed an appropriate bargaining unit at the end of the appropriate period (defined by paragraph 18), and
(c)at the end of that period either no request under paragraph 19A(1)(b) has been made or such a request has been made but the condition in paragraph 19A(1)(c) has not been met.
(2) Within the decision period, the Court must decide whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate.
(3) If the Court decides that the proposed bargaining unit is not appropriate, it must also decide within the decision period a bargaining unit which is appropriate.
(4) The decision period is—
(a)the period of 10 working days starting with the day after that with which the appropriate period ends, or
(b)such longer period (so starting) as the Court may specify to the parties by notice containing reasons for the extension.]
19A.—(1) This paragraph applies if—N.I.
(a)the Court accepts an application under paragraph 11(2) or 12(2),
(b)during the appropriate period (defined by paragraph 18), the Court is requested by the union (or unions) to make a decision under this paragraph, and
(c)the Court is, either at the time the request is made or at a later time during the appropriate period, of the opinion that the employer has failed to comply with the duty imposed by paragraph 18A.
(2) Within the decision period, the Court must decide whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate.
(3) If the Court decides that the proposed bargaining unit is not appropriate, it must also decide within the decision period a bargaining unit which is appropriate.
(4) The decision period is—
(a)the period of 10 working days starting with the day after the day on which the request is made, or
(b)such longer period (so starting) as the Court may specify to the parties by notice containing reasons for the extension.
19B.—(1) This paragraph applies if the Court has to decide whether a bargaining unit is appropriate for the purposes of paragraph 19(2) or (3) or 19A(2) or (3).N.I.
(2) The Court must take these matters into account—
(a)the need for the unit to be compatible with effective management;
(b)the matters listed in sub-paragraph (3), so far as they do not conflict with that need.
(3) The matters are—
(a)the views of the employer and of the union (or unions);
(b)existing national and local bargaining arrangements;
(c)the desirability of avoiding small fragmented bargaining units within an undertaking;
(d)the characteristics of workers falling within the bargaining unit under consideration and of any other employees of the employer whom the Court considers relevant;
(e)the location of workers.
(4) In taking an employer's views into account for the purpose of deciding whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate, the Court must take into account any view the employer has about any other bargaining unit that he considers would be appropriate.
(5) The Court must give notice of its decision to the parties.