Strike notice under mrtu and pulp

The following is with limited understanding of the matter.:

Adjudication of disputes – The Act provides for ‘Works Committee’ in factories employing 100 or more workers. [section 3]. The committee will consist of equal number of representatives of employer and employees. Representatives of employees will be selected in consultation with Registered Trade Union. The Works Committee will first try to settle disputes. If dispute is not solved, it will be referred to ‘Conciliation Officer’.

Valuable advice of learned experts and members is sought. This shall enrich the forum and shall help many who visit the forum.

You may find the attachment useful.

you can approach the  Conciliation Officer . It is duty of the CO to enter into dispute and bring in a negotiated settlement if possible. Advantage to you shall be that during the conciliation proceedings if the workers go on strike it shall be illegal.  

Learned Mr. Thukral has given valuable advice. Kindly follow it.

9.      What are the provisions for General Prohibition of Strikes and Lockouts?

No workman who is employed in any industrial establishment shall go on strike in breach of contract and no employer of any such workman shall declare a lockout:

(a)       During the pendency of conciliation proceedings before a Board and seven days after the conclusion of such proceedings,

Thukral Sahab, I have taken legal opinion on the same.  My advocate is advising me that when a strike notice has been served under MRTU and PULP, then we cannot admit the matter in conciliation under the industrial disputes act.  Secondly he says that Management cannot raise a dispute with the conciliation officer and union has to approach the conciliation officer for admitting the matter in conciliation.

Secondly my advocate says that strike notice cannot be a matter to be admitted in conciliation at the instance of the management.  As far as I know even if the strike notice is given under MRTU and PULP management has the right to get the matter admitted in conciliation before the conciliation officer.

Sir, Kindly throw some light on the above with relevant citations if any.

Thanks.

Jaikishen Kumtekar.

The openion of Advocate Thukral is correct.I differ with the openion given to you by your advocate..Since union has given strike notice,that means that there is an Industrial dispute.In such cases even sumoto the conciliation officer can take cognizance.As rightly pointed out by Shri Kumar Doab,the strike started or continued pending conciliation would be illegal under I.D.Act 1947.Of course this is not pure legal issue.At times depending on business situation, the strike may be welcome.Therefore the management should take the matter to conciliation officer urgently,after considering if strike is desirable or otherwise.

In my limited knowledge of MRTU and PULP Act, I understand there is bar in raising proceedings under the Central Act (ID Act ) in some cases covered under the MRTU and PULP Act. In that case seek advice of your lawyer to approach Industrial Court to get the strike declared as illegal.  

Bar under sec.59 of M.R.T.U. and P.U.L.P. Act only prohibits parallel proceedings under I.D.Act and the M.R.T.U.Act on same subject matter.. In this case subject matter is different. Under I.D.Act we are trying to settle industrial dispute,where as under MRTU Union has given strike notice.Subject matter being different bar shall not operate.

Dear Thukral Sahab and Pranjape sahab thanks for your guidance and expertise advise.  I will definitely try to file the matter and get it admitted in conciliation.

Regards

Jay Kumtekar

Dear All,

Thankyou for your kind and valuable advise.  We had filed a case in the Industrial court requesting the Hon'ble court to grant ad-interim order restraining the union to go on strike.  Today the order was pronounced by the court wherein the respondent union has been restrained not to indulge in strike of any nature and asked both the parties to start the negotiations.

Dear Mr.Kumtekar,

Is the matter pending conciliation ?  If the process is not initiated, then you can write to the additional commissioner of labour and hold negotiations before him to settle the charter of demands.  The authority can also impress upon the union not to strike work pending conciliation or outcome of it.  There may be some possibility of a settlement being arrived at in the course of conciliation or the union postponing the decision to strike.

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