CHAPTER III CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTESshodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/65643/9/09_chapter 3.pdf · CHAPTER III CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Industrial

CHAPTER III

CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Industrial Disputes-Causes

3.3 Wages and Bonus

3.4 Personnel and Retrenchment

3.5 Leave and Hours of Work

3.6 Violence and Indiscipline

3.7 Others

3.8 Incidence of Disputes throughEconomic and Non-economic CI-uses

3.9 Issues of Disputes Raisedby Trade Unions

3.10 A Comparative Perception-Causes of Industrial Disputes

3.11 Results and Discussion

3.12 Ranking by the Workers

3.13 Ranking by the Employers

3.14 Ranking by the Trade Union Leaders

3.15 Ranking by the Labour Officials

3.16 Ranking by All Categories

3.17 Causes of Industrial Disputes-Inter Group Perception

75

3.1 INTRODUCTION

Disputes between labour and Management is a universal

phenomenon in developed and developing countries. There are

various causes for industrial disputes. There is no one

single cause. Disputes arise out of terms and conditions

relating to employment, wages, bonus, rising cost of living

and so on. As early as in 1931, the Royal Commission on

Labour observed: "Although workers may have been influenced

qby persons with nationalist, communist or commercial ends to

serve, we believe that there has rarely been a strike of any

importance which has not been due entirely or largely to1

economic reasons." Low wages or wage-cuts in spite of

rising prices and intolerable conditions of work have

provoked a number of strikes in the country. Un-deserved

punishments, mass discharges, assaults, abuses and

misbehaviour have also led to several strikes in India,

although instances have been found when workers had stopped

work on petty quarrels or humiliations, as an excuse for

respite from an unbearable situation. Other important causes

are the absence of adequate machinery for collective

1. C.B. Namori.a & S. Mamoria, D ynamic of Industrial Relationsin India, Himalaya Publishing House,New Delhi, 1991, p.297.

76

bargaining and the absence of close contact and understanding

between employers and workers. All these give rise to

industrial disputes. This chapter deals with the various

causes of disputes in the Cotton Textile Industry in the

study area.

3.2 INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES-CAUSES

Though there are many causes, industrial disputes can be

classified under six major heads, according to Indian Labour

Statistics. 1. Wages, 2. BonUs, 3. Personnel and

retrenchment, 4. Leave and hours of work, 5. Violence and

Indiscipline and 6. Others.

3.3 WAGES AND BONUS

The most important cause for industrial dispute is the

demand for higher wages. The workers and union leaders feel

that the money-wage paid to the workers is not enough to

ensure a decent living. Therefore they demand more wages to

meet the increase in the cost of living.

The importance of a need-based minimum--wage (NBMW) was

discussed and approved in 1957 by all the major industrial

relation participants, including the Government. The present

PA

wage levels are well below the agreed minimum. The

Government wage-fixing machinery as well as private employers2

now regard the NBMW as largely irrelevant. As the

Government and employers do not accept the NBMW and only

offer lower wages, the workers' demand for higher wages

becomes relevant.

Also in recent years, the real wage in the Indian

industry has declined or stagnated making employees and

Unions demand more. The employers in turn have resisted the

employees' demand because they want "to keep wages down in

order to increase the competitiveness of their products in3

international and domestic markets."

Although India has a well-established system for linking

pay increases to the cost of living and the system of

dearness allowance, the effect of inflation is neutralised at

below 100 per cent. So in order to get higher wages at the

time of inflation, the workers resort to strikes and other

methods, if their demands fail.

2. S. Venkata Ratnam, "Collective Bargaining Status andProspectus in India", Indian Industrial Relations,(National Instute of Personal Management, India, 1981),pp. 137-142.

3. V. Venkatachalam, and R. Singh, The Political andEconomic and Labour Climate in India, (The Wharton SchoolIndustrial Research Unit, University of Pennsylvania,1982) 1 p.61 and pp.57-62.

78

The demand for bonus or for increase in bonus is another

major reason for labour unrest. When an industry makes

profit, the workers demand a greater share of the profit.

The issue of awarding bonus to workers must be viewed as

related to the wage scene, since the annual bonus could

provide a vehicle for maintaining or improving the real wage.

The 1965 Payment of Bonus Act regulates the awarding of

bonus-incomes in India. This legislation was amended several

times over the years. It introduced the notion of a

mandatory guaranteed minimum of bonus at 8.33 per cent in

1981. A ceiling of 20 per cent is also included in the law.

Now in the year 1994 bonus is fixed as ranging from 16.50 per

cent to 35 per cent including ex-gratia, while the quantum of

bonus was fixed as per the provision of the Bonus Act with a4

minimum of 8.33 per cent and a maximum of 20 per cent.

A major goal in providing a statutory bonus payment was

to eliminate or reduce conflicts that grow out of the failure

by Union and employers to reach agreement on the bonus issue.

However the bonus conflicts have not been totally eliminated.

Whenever settlement could not be arrived on the quantum of

bonus, the workers resort to strikes.

Table 3.1 shows the total number of disputes based on

Wages and Bonus.

4. The Hindu, Tuesday, December 14, 1993.

79

TABLE 3.1

Disputes Due to Wages and Bonus

Disputes due to Disputes due to Bonus an

Total Wage Bonus Wages

Year Number of ----------------------------------- PercentagDisputes Total Percentage Total Percentage to total

to total to total

1982 240 37 15.42 68 28.33 43.75

1983 334 45 13.47 66 19.76 33.23

1984 483 50 10.35 62 12.84 23.19

1985 293 29 9.90 58 19.80 29.70

1986 434 26 5.99 70 16.13 22.12

1987 393 16 4.07 51 12.98 17.05

1988 258 19 7.36 36 13.95 21.31

1989 249 34 13.65 39 15.66 29.31

1990 256 61 23.83 53 20.70 44.53

1991 183 35 19.13 27 14.75 33.88

Source: Compiled from the Complaint Register in the Office of tAssistant Commissioner of Labour, (ConciliatioTextiles), Madurai.

80

Disputes relating to wages and bonus formed 43.75 per

cent in 1982 and 33.88 per cent in 1991. Except in the last

two years bonus accounts for more disputes than wages.

The above findings confirm the findings of earlier

studies like,

1. Mrs.P. Chakraborthy, Strikes and Morale in India

Her Principal States, Calcutta, 1969, pp.141-148.

2. S. Nagaraju, Industrial Relation System in India,

Chugh Publications, Allahabad, 1981, pp.184-188.

3. Dayal Sahah, Industrial Relations System in India-

Study of vital issue, Sterling Publishers (F) Ltd., New

Delhi, 1980, pp.208-209.

4. T. Sahapathy, Industrial Disputes in post-war years

with reference to Madras •State, An unpublished Ph.D., Thesis,

Chidambaram, Annamalai University.

5. Verma Pramod, Industrial Conflict-A Statistical

Analysis, Macmillan Company of India Limited, New Delhi,

1978, pp.198-214.

6. Asdhir Vijay, Settlement of Industrial Disputes in

Cotton Textile Industry, with special reference to Punjab

An Unpublished Ph.D., Thesis submitted to the Punjab

University, 1980.

81

3.4 PERSONNEL AND RETRENCHMENT

When the employers dismiss or demote any worker or group

of workers, all the workers of the establishment join

together against the employer and so dispute erupts. Table

3.2 shows the industrial disputes relating to personnel and

retrenchment.

TABLE 3.2

Industrial Disputes Due to Personnel and Retrenchment

Total Disputes due to PercentageYear Number of Personnel and to total

Disptues RetrenchmentC

1982 240 92 38.33

1983

334

171

51.20

1984

483

284

58.80

1985

293

156

53.24

1986

434

265

61.06

1987

393

282

71.76

1988

258

157

60.85

1989

249

131

52.61

1990

256

120

46.88

1991

183

92

50.27

Source: Compiled from the Complaint Register in Office ofthe Assistant Commissioner of Labour, (Conciliation,Textiles), Madurai.

Table 3.2 shows that the number of industrial disputes,

due to "personnel and retrenchment" cause is almost large.

It has fluctuated between 38.33 per cent of the total in 1982

and 50.27 per cent in 1991. These disputes are mostly backed

by egoistic' motives, fellow--feelings and team spirit.

These causes are an indication of the fact that proper and

effective labour--Management relations do not exist even now

to the extent desirable.

3.5 LEAVE AND HOURS OF WORK

Industrial disputes relating to leave and hours of work

occur either for getting the number of hours of work reduced

or for getting a holiday on some special or religious

occasion. Sometimes, the workers go on strike because of the

refusal of their leave or as a protest against keeping the

factory open on holidays. Table 3.3 shows the industrial

disputes relating to leave and hours of work in the study

area.

83

TABLE 3.3

Industrial Disputes Relating to Leave and Hours of Work

Total Disputes due to PercentageYear Number of Leave and Hours to total

Disptues of Work

1982

240

3

1.25

1983

334

4

1.20

1984

483

6

1.24

1985

293

1

0.34

1986

434

3

0.69

1987

393

4

1.02

1988

258

7

2.71

1989

249

3

1.20

1990

256

1991

183

1

0.55

Source: Compiled from the Complaint Register in the Officeof the Assistant Commissioner of Labour,(Conciliation, Textiles), Madurai.

The issues relating to "leave and hours of work" also

account for a fair proportion of industrial disputes,

although the proportion of these disputes to the total

declined from 1.25 per cent in 1982 to 0.55 per cent in 1991.

Only in the year 1988, it went above 2 per cent. It may be

said that since the factories are required to observe

84

regulations regarding hours of work and leave under the

Factories Act, 1948, industrial disputes on this score are

rather very few.

3.6 VIOLENCE AND INDISCIPILNE

Frustrated in achieving their goal through legitimate

means the workers or their organiations may resort to acts

of violence, verbal or physical. The former includes raising

Slogans, demonstrating, using filthy language, and so on.The latter includes throwing bricks and stones, murderous

assault, rioting, causing damage or loss to property and

sometimes endangering human lives.

In the study area, violence and indiscipline' is not

considered a cause for industrial disputes. It has occurred

only in the years 1984, 1985 and 1991. It was very rare

(Below 1%).

3.7 OTHERS

Causes like absence of close contact and understanding

between the employer and the workers, misbehaviour, mass

assaults, and abuse or petty quarrels, can be included under

this list. Table 3.4 shows the industrial disputes due to

"Others".

85

TABLE 3.4

Industrial Disputes Due to "OTHERS"

Total Disputes due to Percentage

Year Number of Others' to totalDisptues

1982 240 40 16.67

1983 334 48 14.37

1984 483 80 16.56

1985 293 47 16.04

1986 434 70 16.13

1987 393 40 10.18

1988 258 39 15.12

1989 249 42. 16.87

1990 256 22 8.59

1991 183 27 14.75

Source: Compiled from the Complaint:. Register in the Office

of the Assistant Commissioner of Labour,(Conciliation, Textiles), Madurai.

Industrial disputes under "Others" fluctuated between

16.67 per cent in 1982 and 8.59 per cent in 1990. The term

"Others" conveys the impression of being a residual category.

It is revealed from the fact that between 8.59 per cent. and

16.87 per cent of the disputes have always been due to

"Others". These causes are manifestations of deep-seated

frustrations of workers.

86

3.8 INCIDENCE OF DISPUTES THROUGH ECONOMIC AND NON-ECONOMICCAUSES

So far the causes for industrial disputes have been

analysed on the basis of Wages, Bonus, Personnel and

Retrenchment, Leave and Hours of work, Violence and in

discipline, and others. Among the above mentioned causes for

disputes, the first two namely Wages, and Bonus, can very

well be stated as Economic Causes'. The remaining can be

grouped under 'Non-economic Causes'.

Table 3.5 shows the incidence of disputes through

Economic and Non-economic causes.

87

TABLE 3.5

Economic and Non-economic Causes

Year Economic Causes Non-Economic Causes Total Number(% to total) (% to total) of Disputes

1982

43.75

56. 25

240

1983

33.23

66. 77

334

1984

23.19

76.81

483

1985

29.70

70.30

293

1986

22.12

77.88

434

197 17.05 82.95 393

1988 21.31 78.69 258

1989 29.31 70.69 249

1990 44.53 55.47 256

1991 33.88 66.12 183

Source: Compiled from the Complaint Register in the Officeof the Assistant Commissioner of Labour,(Conciliation, Textiles), Madurai.

Non-economic causes have led to more disputes than

economic ones. Under Non-economic Causes 'Personnel &

Retrenchment' has led to more disputes. Mainly because of

more number of disputes under 'Personnel & Retrenchment',

Non-economic causes are the dominating ones as far as

disputes are concerned.

3.9 ISSUES OF DISPUTES RAISED BY TRADE UNIONS

Table 3.6 shows the percentage distribution of disputes

raised by Trade Union in the study area.

88

TABLE 3.6

Issues of Disputes Raised by Trade Unions

Union Wages Bonus Leave Personal Violence Others Totaland and and in-

hours of Retren- disciplineWork chment

All Unions

INTUC

C I TU

HMS

AITUC

TNTUC

L PF

Other Union

2.00(50)

0.85(25)

0.34(25)

26.63 26.63 3.80 15.22(13.92) (9.25) (23.33) (5.1)

18.00 14.00 1.00 30.00

(5.11) (2.64) (3.33) (5.45)

18.80 38.28 1.24 24.80

(47.17) (63.78) (36.68) (39.82)

14.40 10.17 2.54 40.68

(4.83) (2.26) (10) (8.73)

18.93 10.81 1.35 21.62

(3.98) (1.6) (3.33) (2.90)

17.85 23.56 0.34 31.65

(15.05) (13.2) (3.33) (17.09)

13.06 15.77 2.70 40.54

(8.24) (6.6) (20) (16.36)

13.95 9.30 - 58.14

(1.7) (0.75) (4.56)

27.72 184(11.20)

35.00 100(7.7)

16.88 884(32.75)

31.36 118(8.13)

47.30 74(7.7)

26.26 297(17.14)

27.93 222(13.63)

18.61 45(1.76)

TotalNumber ofDisputes 352 530 32 551 4 455 124

Source: Compiled from the complaint Register in the office of the AssistantCommissioner of Labour,(Conciljatjan, Textiles), Madurai.

Note: Figures in brackets indicate percentage to vertical total and othersto horizontal total.

89

It is seen from the Table 3.6 that out of 1924 disputes

raised by Trade Unions, 551 disputes were due to personnel

and retrenchment, 530 disputes were due to Bonus, 455

disputes were on other issue, 352 disputes were on wages, 32

disputes were on leave and hours of:7 work and 4 disputes were

on violence and indiscipline.

A. DISTRIBUTION OF WAGE DISPUTES

Out of 352 wage disputes raised by Trade Unions, 47.17

per cent of the wage disputes were raised by CITU followed by

TNTUC (15.05%), All Unions (13.92%), LPF (8.24%), INTUC

(5.11%), HMS (4.83%), AITUC (3.98%), and Other Unions (1.7%).

B. DISTRIBUTION OF BONUS DISPUTES

Out of 530 Bonus disputes ra:ised by Trade Unions,

63.78 per cent were raised by CITU followed by TNTUC (13.2%),

All Unions (9.25%), LPF (6.6 0/0'), INTUC (2.64%), HMS (2.26%),

AITUC (1.6%) and Other Unions (0.75%).

C. DISTRIBUTION OF DISPUTES ON LEAVE AND HOURS-OF-WORK ISSUES

Out of the 32 "Leave and Hours-of-work" disputes, 36.68

per cent of disputes were raised by CITU, 23.33 per cent by

All Unions, 20 per cent by LPF, 10 per cent by HMS, 3.33 per

cent by INTUC, AITUC and TNTUC.

90

D. DISTRIBUTION OF DISPUTES ON PERSONNEL AND RETRENCHMENTISSUES

Out of 551 personnel and retrenchment disputes raised,

39.82 per cent were raised by CITU, followed by 17.09 per

cent by TNTUC, 16.36 per cent by LPF, 8.73 per cent by HMS,

5.45 per cent by INTUC, 5.1 per cent: by All Unions, 4.56 per

cent by Other Unions and 2.90 per cent by AITUC.

E. DISTRIBUTION OF DISPUTES ON VIOLENCE AND INDISCIPLINEISSUES

Out of 4 disputes raised by Trade Unions on violence and

indiscipline issues, 2 disputes were raised by INTUC, one by

HMS and the other by TNTUC.

F. DISTRIBUTION OF DISPUTES ON "OTHERS"

Out of 455 disputes raised on other issues, 32.75 per

cent were raised by CITU, 17.14 per cent by TNTUC, 13.63 per

cent by LPF, 11.20 per cent by All Unions, 8.13 per cent by

HMS 7.7 per cent by INTUC, AITUC each, and 1.70 per cent by

Other Unions.

It is found that the common causes of industrial

disputes raised by Trade Unions were based on "Personnel and

Retrenchment" issues. The issue of wages, allowances and

91

bonus, which relate to earnings and levels of living account

for almost 882 disputes, 45.87 per cent of the total number

of disputes raised by Trade Unions. The personnel and

retrenchment account for 551 disputes. it is also found that

almost All Unions have raised more number of disputes on

wage, bonus and personnel and retrenchment issues when

compared with other issues. It is also found that most of

the wage disputes, bonus disputes, leave and hours of work

disputes, personnel and retrenchment disputes and other

disputes were raised by CITU followed by TNTUC (Except leave

and hours-of--work) followed by All Unions. Most of the

violence and indiscipline disputes were raised by INTUC.

3.10 A COMPARATIVE PERCEPTION CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

The causes of conflict between Labour and Management

usually remain the same wherever capitalist economy prevails.

Dr. Mukerjee observes, "The development of capitalistic

industry which means the control of the tools of production

by a small entrepreneur class has brought to the fore the

actual problem of friction between Management and Labour5

throughout the world." When people sell their services and

spend their wor.king lives on the premises of the purchaser of

those services, varying amounts of dissatisfaction,

discontent and industrial unrest are likely to occur.

5. R. Mukerjee, Indian Working Class, Hind Kitabs, Bombay,1951, p.372.

92

Employees are specially interested in higher wages, healthy

working conditions,opportunity to advance, work-satisfaction,

some voice in industrial affairs and protection against loss6

of wages, over-work and arbitrary treatment. But when such

things are denied they are forced to exercise their rights

and stop working to make the employers understand their

grievances and redress them. Often many causes, blended

together, lead to a strike. But there is no single cause for

an industrial dispute. The Labour Bureau has listed these

causes as 1. Wages and Allowance, 2. Bonus, 3. Personnel and

Retrenchment, 4. Leave and Hours of work 5. Viloence and

Indiscipline and 6. Others.

But this classification is not exhaustive. Hence to

have a clear understanding of the causes of labour disputes

in the Cotton Textile Industry in the study area, the

researcher has made an attempt to identify the possible

causes. Twelve causes have been identified. Here the

perception of the workers, their Union leaders, the

Management and Labour Officials were examined based on 12

possible causes of labour unrest.

6. R.A. Lester, Economics of Labour, Macmillan Company, NewYork, 1964, p.3.

93

3.11 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In order to identify the imi:ortant causes of industrial

disputes in the study area, a list: of 12 most probable causes

was drawn up and the respondents were asked to mark four

causes in order of priority. The ranked results of theresponses by workers, Trade Union Leaders, Management. and

Labour Officials and all the categories combined together are

presented in the ensuing Tables.

3.12 RANKING BY THE WORKERS

Table 3.7 exhibits the ranks assigned by workers to

causes of industrial disputes.

94TABLE 3.7

Ranking by Workers of the Causes of Industrial Disputes

Frequency of PriorityCauses ---------------------------- - ------ -----Total Rank

First Second Third Fourth Score*Priority Priority Priority Priority

1. Wage 209 317 242 53 2324 2(26.62)

2. Allowances 46 132 114 256 1064 4(12.19)

3. Bonus 48 101 337 234 1403 3(16.07)

4. Retrenchment 505 188 92 88 2856 1(32.71)

5. Personnel 23 64 70 165 589 5(6.75)

6. Leave and Hoursof-work - - - - - 12

7. Non-implementationof awards andagreement 12 50 6 31 241 6

(2.76)

8. Unfair LabourPractices 20 8 4 20 132 7

(1.51

9. Non-implementationof Labour Laws 2 7 3 4 39 9

.( 0.45)

10.Inferior treatment - - 2 2 6 10(0.07)

11. Inadequate socialsecurity measures 8 6 3 17 73 8

(0.84)

12.Vio]ence andIndiscipline - - 0 3 3 11

(0.03)

*The first priority was given the score of four and the second, third andfourth the scores of three, two and one respectively. Ranking was workedout on the basis of total score. (Figures In parenthesis indicate thepercentage of each item to the total score of column 6).

95

The four important factors as viewed by the workers,

according to their ranks are 1) Retrenchment 2) Wages 3)

Bonus and 4) Allowances. 5th rank is given to personnel.

Leave and hours-of ...-work and violence and indiscipline are not

perceived to be the causes of industrial disputes.

3.13 RANKING BY THE EMPLOYERS

Table 3.8 shows the ranks assigned by employers to

causes of industrial disputes.

96

TABLE 3.8Ranking by Management of the Causes of Industrial Disputes

Frequency of PriorityCauses ---------------------------- ------------Total Rank

First Second Third Fourth Score*Priority Priority Priority Priority

1. Wages 14 18 6 it 125 2(26.04)

2. Allowances 6 11 20 4 101 3(21.04)

3. Bonus 22 10 7 7 139 1(28.96)

4. Retrenchment 3 4 5 10 44 . 4(9.17)

5. Personnel 1 3 2 4 21 6(4.38)

6. Leave and Hours - - 1 2 4 9of-work (0.83)

7. Non-implementation - - - 1 1 12of awards and (0.21)agreement

8. Unfair Labour 2 1 2 8 23 5Practices (4.79)

9. Non-implementation - 1 2 4 11 7of Labour Laws (2.29)

10. Inferior treatment - - - 2 2 11(0.42)

11. Inadequate social - - 2 2 6 8security measures (1.25)

12. Violence and - - 1 1 3 10Indiscipline (0.63)

*The first priority was given the score of four and the second, third and fourtithe scores of three, two and one respectively. Ranking was worked out on thibasis of total score. (Figures in parenthesis indicate the percentage of eaciitem to the total score of column 6).

97

The Management perceives Bonus, Wages, Allowances and

Retrenchment as four major causes of industrial disputes.

They consider Non-implementation of awards and agreement,

Inferior treatment, Violence and indiscipline and Leave and

hours-of-work as the least important causes of industrial

disputes.

3.14 RANKING BY THE TRADE UNION LEADERS

Table 3.9 shows the ranks assigned by the Trade Union

Leaders to causes of industrial diputes.

98

TABLE 3.9Ranking by the Trade Union Leaders of the Causes of Industrial Disputes

Frequency of PriorityCauses ------------------------------------------

Total RankFirst Second Third Fourth Score*

Priority Priority Priority Priority

I. Wages 8 12 20 8 116 3(16.57)

2. Allowances 6 8 IC) 15 83 4(11.86)

3. Bonus 17 23 12 9 170 2(24.29)

4. Retrenchment 34 16 10 7 211 1(30.14)

5. Personnel 3 5 8 8 51 5(7.29)

6. Leave and Hours - - I 2 4 11of-work(0.57)

7. Non-implementation - 2 1 5 13 7of awards and(1.86)agreement

8. Unfair Labour 2 3 4 6 31 6Practices(4.43)

9. Non-implementation - 1 1 3 8 8of Labour Laws(1.14)

10. Inferior treatment - - 1 3 5 10(0.71)

11. Inadequate social - - 2 2 6 9security measures(0.86)

12. Violence and - -2 2 12Indiscipline(0.29)

*The first priority was given the score of four and the second, third and fourththe scores of three, two and one respectively. Ranking was worked out on thebasis of total score. (Figures in parenthesis indicate the percentage of eachitem to the total score of column 6).

The four important factors as perceived by the Trade

Union Leaders are Retrenchment, Boiitis, Wages and Allowances.

It is similar to the views of workers. Violence and

indiscipline and Leave and hours-of ..-work are considered as

the least important causes of industrial disputes.

315 RANKING BY THE LABOUR OFFICIALS

Table 3.10 exhibits the ranks assigned by the labour

officials to causes of industrial disputes.

100

TABLE 3.10

Ranking by the Labour Officials of the CdLISE?S of Industrial Disputes

Frequency of PriorityCauses ---.--••• -----Total Rank

First Second Third Fourth Score*Priority Priority Priority Priority

1. Wages 5 2 - - 26 1(37.14)

2. Allowances - 2 2 2 12 3(17.14)

3. Bonus 2 3 - - 17 2(24.29)

4. Retrenchment - - - -- 0

5. Personnel -

6. Leave and Hours - - - -- 0of-work

7. Non-implementation - - -- 0of awards and

agreement8. Unfair Labour - -

- 0Practices

9. Non-implementation - - -- 0of Labour Laws

10. Inferior treatment - - :3 3 9 4(12.96)

11. Inadequate social - - 2 2 6 5security measures(8.58)

12. Violence and - - -- 0Indiscipline

*The first priority was given the score of four and the second, third and fourththe scores of three, two and one respectively. Ranking was worked out on thebasis of total score. (Figures in parenthesis indicate the percentage of eachitem to the total score of column 6).

1031

The labour officials consider Wages, Bonus, Allowance,

and Inferior treatment as the four important causes of

idustrial disputes.

3.16 RANKING BY ALL CATEGORIES

Table 3.11 exhibits the ranks assigned by all the

categories to various causes of Industrial disputes.

102

TABLE 3.11

Ranking by the Respondents of All Categories

Percentage obtained In the case ofCauses ----------------------------------------------

Total RankWorkers Manage Trade Labour Percentagement Union Officials

Leaders

I. Wages 26.62 26.04 16.57 37.14 106.37' 12. Allowances 12.19 21.04 11.86 17.14 62.23 43. Bonus 16.07 28.96 24.29 24.29 93.61 24. Retrenchment 32.71 9.17 30.14 - 72.02 35. Personnel 6.75 4.38 7.29 - 18.42 56. Leave and Hours -0.83 0.57 - 1.40 11of Work7. Non-implementation 2.76 0.21 1.86 - 4.83 9of awards and

agreement8. Unfair Labour 1.51 4.79 4.43 - 10.73 8Practices9. Non-implementation 0.45 2.29 1.14 -of Labour Laws 3.88 1010. Inferior treatment 0.07 0.42 0.71 12.86 14.06 611. Inadequate social

security measures 0.84 1.25 0.86 8.58 11.53 712. Violence and

Indiscipline 0.03 0.63 0.29 - 0.95 12

*The Table aims at standardising the priorities of all invetervlewees,percefltage

obtained for each reason in all four categories i.e.,Workers, Management, TradeUnion Leaders, and Labour Officials were added and totals in all respect of alltwelve causes were ranked.

103

Table 3.11 reveals that "Wages", "Bonus", "Retrenhment:",

"Allowances", "Personnel" and "Inferior Treatment", got the

"first", "Second". "third", "fourth", "fifth" and "sixth"

ranks respectively. The other causes "Inadequate social

security measures", "unfair labour Practices", "Non-

implementation of awards and agreement", "Non-implementation

of labour Laws", "Leave and hours-of-work" and "Violence and

indiscipline" got lower rankings.

3.17 CAUSES OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES - INTER-GROUP PERCEPTION

The rank correlation co-efficient of causes of

industrial disputes between workers and Trade Union Leaders,

workers and Management, Management and Trade Union Leaders

are calculated and they are presented in Table 3.12.

TABLE 3.12

Causes of Industrial. Disputes - Inter-Group Perception

Inter group

Rank Correlation . 'R'Co-efficient

Between workers and Trade Union Leaders 0.972*

Between workers and Management 0.755*

Between Management and Trade UnionLeaders 0.825*

*Significant beyond 0.05 level.

104

The value of correlation co-efficient (R = 0.972)

between the workers and Trade Union Leaders shows significant

and positive correspondence as to the causes of industrial

disputes. The degree of importance of certain items, however

varied, both Union and workers gave first preferece to

Retrenchment. Workers ranked 'Wages' as the second important

factor while the Union Leaders considered it third. They

considered Bonus the second important: factor.

CI

The value of correlation co-efficient (R = 0.755)

between the responses of workers and Management shows a

significant and positive relationship. Both the parties

perceive Wages, Allowances, Bonus and Retrenchment as

constituting some of the important causes of industrial

disputes.

The value of correlation co-efficient (R = 0.825) beween

the replies of Trade Union Leaders and Management also

indicates a significant and po:dtIve correspondence. The

Management attached more importance to bonus (1st rank),

whereas Trade Union Leaders attached more importance to

Retrenchment, as is evident from the rank assigned.

105

The results of this study reflect the fact that the

Retrenchment and economic factors are given supreme

importance by workers, Unions and Management. Other

important factors are Personnel, Non-implementation of awards

and agreements, Unfair laabour practices and Inadequate

social security measures. Leave and hours of work, Violence

and Indiscipline, Inferior treatment are assigned relatively

much less importance. Thus this analysis reveals the

difference and similarities in perception of labour disputes

among Management, Unions, worker; and Labour Officials.