Chapter-2

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS (COMBINED)

2.1 Analysis by Months: Month-wise statistics of industrial disputes, workers involved therein and mandays lost thereby during the year 2007 have been presented in Tables 2(I)(a) to 2(I)(h).

2.1.1 It is evident form Table 2(I)(a) that the highest number of disputes (31) started during the month of January followed by September (28) while the lowest number of disputes (11) started in the months of December. Table 2(I)(b) shows that the highest number of disputes started in the months of January and October (12) while the lowest number of disputes (1) started in the months of August, 2007 in Central Sphere. On the other hand, Table 2(I) (c) reveals that the highest number of disputes in State Sphere started in the months of September (20) and (19) each in January and July, 2007. Table 2(I)(d) shows that the maximum number of strikes on all-India basis started in the month of January (24) and lowest (7) in December. Table 2(I)(g) reveals that the highest number of Lockouts started during the months of September and February (9) and (8) respectively while the lowest (2) and (3) in July and November during the year under study

2.2 Analysis by States: The statistics of Industrial Disputes by States and Union Territories during the year 2007 are presented in Tables 2(II) (a) to 2(II) (g).

2.2.1 Table 2(II) (a) indicates that amongst the States, West Bengal, as usual, accounted for the highest time-loss during 2007 (23.74 million mandays) followed by Tamil Nadu (1.41 million mandays), Rajasthan (0.95 million mandays), Andhra Pradesh (0.34 million mandays), Kerala (0.23 million mandays). These Five States together accounted for as much as 73.01 per cent of the total number of disputes, 75.89 per cent of the total number of workers involved and 98.17 per cent of the total time-loss during the year 2007.

2.2.2 The statistics on Industrial Disputes during 2007 for the Central Sphere by States and Union Territories are presented in Table 2(II) (b). The highest number of disputes (15), was recorded in West Bengal, Workers involved and mandays lost were highest in Tamil Nadu (0.08 millions workers) and (0.13 millions mandays) respectively. The Central Sphere accounted for 17.22 per cent of the total number of disputes, 34.56 per cent of the total number of workers involved and 1.21 per cent of the total time-loss in the country. There was no case of lockout reported in Central Sphere during the year 2007.

2.2.3 The data on time-loss, state-wise and month-wise are presented in Table Nos 2(II) (i) to 2(II)(k) combined of State and Central Spheres and separately for State and Central Spheres. reveals that the highest time-loss (7.09 million mandays ) was recorded in the month of February 2007 followed by 6.58 million mandays in January 2007 and the lowest time-loss, (0.09 million mandays) was recorded in the month of June 2007. Amongst the States, it was West Bengal which had reported the maximum time-loss (23.74 million mandays) followed by Tamil Nadu (1.41 million mandays) and Rajasthan (0.95 million mandays).

2.3 Analysis by Industries: Statistics pertaining to the number of disputes, workers involved, mandays lost, wages lost and production loss by industry have been presented in Tables 2(III) (a) to 2(III) (c) up to three digit level as per the National Industrial Classification – 1998. Table 2(III) (d) shows industry-wise disputes, workers involved, mandays lost, wages lost and production loss in the Central Sphere.

2.3.1 Table 2(III) (a) reveals that amongst the industry groups, ‘Manufacturing Division’ (Industry Codes 15 to 37) accounted for the highest number of disputes (236 or 60.67 per cent) with 23.43 million mandays lost or 86.26 per cent of the total time-loss. Within this industry division, ‘Manufacture of Textiles’ ( Industry Code 17 ) accounted for the largest time-loss ( 20.09 million mandays or 73.93 per cent ) of the total time-loss in 'Manufacturing Division' followed by industry groups, ‘Manufacture of Other Transaport Equipment’ (Industry Code 35 ) and Manufacture of Basic Metals.’ (Industry Code 27 ) which together accounted for a time-loss of 1.35 million mandays or 5.74 per cent of the total time-loss in ‘Manufacturing Sector’. The industry group, ‘Agriculture, Hunting and Related Service Activities’ ( Industry Code 01 ) accounted for 2.87 million mandays time-loss or 10.56 per cent of the total time loss during the year 2007.

2.3.2 Industrial disputes by industries in respect of the Central Sphere have been shown in Table 2(III) (d). It reveals that ‘Banks’ accounted for the highest number of disputes (34), Post & Telegraphs contributed the highest number of workers involved (0.12 million workers) and highest time-loss (0.12 million mandays) in the Central Sphere during 2007. Second in order was the industry group ‘Banks’ (0.11 million mandays). Taken together these two industry groups accounted for 71.82 per cent of the total time-loss in the Central Sphere during the year 2007.

2.4 Analysis of Time-loss per 1,000 workers: Data on time-loss per 1,000 workers employed in Manufacturing, Plantations (The data related to Crops, Market, Gardening and Horticulture as per NIC – 1998 is from 2000 onwards) and Coal Mines Sector have been presented in Table 2(IV). It can be seen from the Table that as compared to 2006, the relative volume of time-loss during the year 2007 decreased in all sectors. The decrease was 26.68 per cent in Manufacturing, 45.22 per cent in Crops, Market, gardening and Horticulture (Plantations) and 67.67 per cent in Coal Mines. The time-loss per thousand workers also decreased in all Sectors.

2.5 Analysis of Lockouts: Table 2(V) (a) shows that during the year 2007, out of total 179 lockouts, as many as 176 or 98.32 per cent were pure lockouts (i.e., lockouts originating and terminating as lockouts). These were responsible for a time-loss of 12.07 million mandays or 99.65 per cent of the total time-loss caused by all lockouts in the country. As many as 144 (81.82 per cent) of the pure lockouts were in the state of West Bengal and these were responsible for a time-loss of 10.47 million mandays or 86.71 per cent of the total time-loss caused by pure lockouts.

2.5.1 Table 2(V) (b) reveals that in the year 2007, total time-loss due to mixed lockouts was 41925 mandays. There were three disputes in which lockout were preceded / succeeded by strike, which occurred in Gujarat(2) and West Bengal (1).

2.6 Analysis of Major Industrial Disputes: Major Industrial Disputes mean those disputes, which involve a time-loss of 50,000 or more mandays. Table 2(VI) reveals that during the year 2007, as many as 48 major industrial disputes took place, which accounted for a time-loss of 24.40 million mandays. Out of these 48 major industrial disputes, only 2.08 per cent occurred in Public Sector with a time-loss of 0.63 million mandays or 0.26 per cent. Although major industrial disputes contributed only 12.34 per cent of the total number of disputes, yet they were responsible for 89.81 per cent of the total time-loss in the country. Among the states, West Bengal topped with a time-loss of 22.36 million mandays i.e., 91.63 per cent of the total time-loss in these major industrial disputes in both the Spheres.

2.7 Analysis by Causes: Cause-wise distribution of Industrial disputes along with the number of workers involved and mandays lost have been presented in Tables 2(VII) (a) to 2(VII) (e). In the case of work-stoppages which resulted due to several causes, the immediate cause leading to the work stoppage is taken into consideration.

2.7.1 Table 2(VII) (a) & (b) reveal that in 2007 disputes due to ‘Wages and Allowances’ and ‘Bonus’ accounted for 5.94 per cent of the total time-loss. In Non-monetary group the ‘Indiscipline’ and ‘Violence’ accounted for 34.59 per cent and 48.47 per cent respectively to the total time-loss. Table 2(VII) (b) reveals that ‘Wages and Allowances’ accounted for 32.99 per cent of the total time-loss in the Central Sphere. The ‘Charter of Demands’ accounted for 2.28 per cent, ‘Government Economic Policy’ 55.99 per cent, ‘Personnel’ 1.37 per cent and ‘other reasons’ 4.90 per cent of the total time loss in Central Sphere in the country during 2007. The highest number of disputes (24 or 35.82 per cent) were reported in Central Sphere due to ‘Wages and Allowances’ followed by ‘Government Economic Policy’ (13 or 19.40 per cent) during the year under study.

2.7.2 Table 2(VII)(c) reveals that the time-loss in the State Sphere due to Industrial Disputes on account of “Wages and Allowances” accounted for 4.95 per cent and the largest percentage of time loss 49.37 per cent was due to ‘Violence”. The highest number of Disputes were reported due to “Indiscipline” (133 or 41.30 per cent) followed by ‘Wages and Allowances’ (63 or 19.57 per cent).

2.7.3 Table 2(VII) (d) shows that 125 lockouts arising due to ‘Indiscipline’ alone accounted for 69.83 per cent of the total number of lockouts and resulted in a time-loss of 77.48 per cent of the total. Lockouts due to ‘Wages and Allowances’ and ‘Bonus’ together accounted for a time loss of 8.40 per cent, while those due to ‘Other Reasons’ resulted in a time-loss of 11.94 per cent of the total time-loss in 2007.

2.7.4 In the State Sphere, ‘Wages and Allowances’ accounted for maximum number of strikes 31.47 per cent followed by ‘Personnel’ registering 30.07 per cent strikes. The highest time loss was registered in cause group “Violence” i.e. 89.63 per cent as revealed by the Table 2(VII)(e).

2.8 Analysis by Duration: Table 2(VIII) reveals that the percentage share of disputes to the total disputes which lasted for ‘a day or less’ was the highest 26.78 per cent among all the class-intervals of duration. Second in order was ‘more than 30 days’ which accounted for 24.67 per cent to the total disputes during the year.

2.9 Analysis by Methods of Settlements and Results: Table 2(IX) reveals the statistics relating to number of disputes terminated by different methods of Settlement and their result. It is interesting to note that in the year 2007, ‘Government Intervention’ and ‘Mutual Settlement / Negotiation’ played a significant role in bringing about successful and partially successful settlements od disputes during the year under study.

2.10 Analysis of All India Strikes / Lockouts: Three All India Strikes took place on 11-07-2007, 24-07-2007, and 03-12-2007 in Nationalized Banks, and ‘Posts and Telegraphs’ on account of ‘Government Economic Policy’ and resulted in a time loss of 0.15 million mandays as is revealed in Table 2(X).