(1) Disputes between an employer and one or more employees or his or her representatives (or both) concerning:

(a) negotiations under section 8 or 10,

(b) interpretation or operation of any agreement under section 8 or 9,

(c) interpretation or operation of the Standard Rules under section 10 (as set out in Schedule 1) or the procedures for election of employees' representatives (as set out in Schedule 2), or

(d) interpretation or operation of a system of direct involvement under section 11,

may, subject to subsection (2), be referred by the employer, one or more than one employee or his or her representatives (or both) to the Court for investigation.

(2) Such a dispute may be referred to the Court only after -

(a) recourse to the internal dispute resolution procedure (if any) in place in the employment concerned has failed to resolve the dispute, and