Page 202 - DMGT516_LABOUR_LEGISLATIONS

Unit 7: Dispute Resolution and Industrial Harmony

is unfortunate that the public sector, which should set up an example for the private sector, has Notes
not been implementing labour laws properly.
In India, a Model Grievance Procedure was adopted by the Indian Labour Conference in its 16th
session held in 1958. At present, Indian industries are adopting either the Model Grievance
Procedure or procedures formulated by themselves with modifications in the Model Grievance
Procedure. In other words, the grievance procedures are mostly voluntary in nature.

Proactive Grievance Redressal

The traditional Grievance Redressal System is mechanically reactive and formal. But Grievances
are human problems with lot of emotions and sentiments attached with them. It requires
informal, proactive and a human touch. It must give the impression that management cares
about the employees and attaches value to them.

A proactive grievance redressal system has been fixed in V.S. and NALCO with a great success.
It is based on the principle of "management by walking". A thirsty man goes to the well. That is
a common phenomenon. A proactive phenomenon will be if the well goes to the thirsty and
quenches his thirst.
In the existing system an aggrieved employee goes to the Management and follows formal
procedure for the redressal of his grievances. It is insensitive to human emotions. Very often,
grievances get rejected on flimsy grounds. In proactive system the management system goes to
the worker, listens to the grievances and, on the following day, answers his grievance. Even if
his grievance is not removed, the causes and other details are to be explained in person. This has
worked well. Organisations can improvise the system as per their requirements. Improved
experiments must go on.

Sincerity of management is the pre-condition. Union leader and shop managers have to play a
positive role. It takes time to catch on. Therefore, patience is another requirement. Message
must go out that management 'cares' about the employees. Only then, it can serve the purpose.

Task Prepare a note on Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 and amendments to it.

7.9 Summary

The co-operation between capital and labour world obviously lead to more production
and that naturally helps boost national economy and progress.

The Industrial Dispute Bill was introduced in Central Legislative Assembly in October,
1946. The Bill was passed in March, 1947 and implemented w.e.f. 1st April, 1947. Since then,
it has as many as 34 to 35 major amendments. It has 9 Chapters and 40 sections.

Smart organisations invariably go for smart grievance-redressal system. If the culture of
grievance-redressal is not developed, the employee becomes discontented, dissatisfied
and disgruntled. That may not be visible but it does affect performance. Such hidden
grievances do more harm than the manifested ones.

There must be a mechanism to identify grievances, systematically, and reduce the
possibility of such grievances emerging again in future.
Improved types of grievance redressal devices must be explored based on researches in
behavioural sciences.

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