Page 210 - DMGT406_HUMAN_RESOURCE_MANAGEMENT

Unit 13: Industrial Relations

Objectives Notes

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
 Define the term Industrial Relations

 Discuss nature of industrial relations
 Understand the Importance of industrial relations
 Describe the approaches to IR
 Understand Trade union, industrial conflict and Labour Legislation in India

Introduction

The term industrial relations explain the relationship between employees and management
which stem directly or indirectly from union-employer relationship.
Industrial relations are the relationships between employees and employers within the
organizational settings. The field of industrial relations looks at the relationship between
management and workers, particularly groups of workers represented by a union. Industrial
relations are basically the interactions between employers, employees and the government,
and the institutions and associations through which such interactions are mediated.
The term industrial relations have a broad as well as a narrow outlook. Originally, industrial
relations was broadly defined to include the relationships and interactions between employers
and employees. From this perspective, industrial relations covers all aspects of the employment
relationship, including human resource management, employee relations, and union-
management (or labor) relations. Now its meaning has become more specific and restricted.
Accordingly, industrial relations pertains to the study and practice of collective bargaining,
trade unionism, and labor-management relations, while human resource management is a
separate, largely distinct field that deals with nonunion employment relationships and the
personnel practices and policies of employers.
The term 'Industrial Relations' comprises of two terms: 'Industry' and 'Relations'. "Industry"
refers to "any productive activity in which an individual (or a group of individuals) is (are)
engaged". By "relations" we mean "the relationships that exist within the industry between the
employer and his workmen."
The term, industrial relations, refers to industry and relations. "Industry" means "any organization
in which an individual is engaged" and "relations" mean "the relations that exist in the industry
between the employer and his workmen."

The term, industrial relations, explains the relationship between employees and management, which stem
directly or indirectly from union employer relationship"

—V. Agnihotri
According to the ILO, "Industrial relations deal with either the relationship between the state
and employer" organizations or the relations between the occupational organizations
themselves."

The relationships which arise at and out of the workplace generally include the relationships
between individual workers, the relationships between workers and their employer, the
relationships between employers, the relationships employers and workers have with the

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