Others, such as awful labour relations, poor management, or inadequate schools and technical colleges, are more plausible, but none seems bad enough to take all the blame.

ECONOMIST: British industrial decline

The Labour Relations Agency said it had invited management and trade unions to meet with its officials in Belfast, and that both sides have accepted.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Classroom dispute talks continue

He was professor of human resources management at the University of Ulster until 1995 and chairman of the Labour Relations Agency from 1996 until 2002.

BBC: Professor Desmond Rea