Industrial relations has become one of the most delicate and complex problems of modern industrial society.

Industrial progress is impossible without cooperation of labors and harmonious relationships. Therefore, it is in the interest of all to create and maintain good relations between employees (labor) and employers (management).

Concept

of

Industrial

Relations:

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 explains 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 has 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 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 organizations formed to promote their respective interests, and the relations between those organizations, at all levels. industrial relations also includes the processes through which these relationships are expressed (such as, collective bargaining, workers participation in decision-making, and grievance and dispute settlement), and the management of conflict between employers, workers and trade unions, when it arises.

Basic concept of Industrial Relations:

1. 3.

The concept of industrial relations was developed with the industrial revolution.

2.

Prior to this it was considered master and servant relationship

The workers were considered and treated like any other commodity which could be easily purchased and replaced.

4.

Wages and conditions of services were poor and this situation was not only in India but also in England and other European countries.

5. The term Industrial Relations comprise Industry and relations. Industry means and productive activity in which and individual is engaged and relations mean the relation that exists in the industry between employer and its workman. Definitions As per of J. Industrial Henry Relation: Richardson

"Industrial Relation is an art, the art of living together for purposes of production." Analysis of Industrial Relations:

1. 2. 3.

Industrial relations are the relations which are the outcome of the employment relationship in an industrial enterprise. Every industrial relations system creates a complex of rules and regulations to govern the work place and work community.

The main purpose of this complex is to maintain harmonious relations between labour and management by solving their problems through collective bargaining.

4.

The government/state shapes industrial relations with the help of law, rules, agreements, awards of the courts.

Main objectives of Industrial Relations

1. 2. 3.
4.

Main objective of Industrial relation is to improve economic conditions of workers in the present scenario of industrial management and political government. Give states control over industries in order to regulate production and Industrial relation. To avoid Industrial Conflicts and develop harmonious relations. To raise productivity to a higher level.

5. 6. 7. 8.

To reduce strikes, lockouts and gheros by providing better wages and improved living conditions and fringe benefits to the workers. Encouraging the sense of ownership among workers for Industries. To enhance government control over units and plants that are running under losses or where production has to be regulated in public interest. Improved Industrial Relation will protect the interest of labour and well as management.

Causes of poor Industrial Relations

The main reasons of poor Industrial relations which results in inefficiency and labour unrest

is the attitude of management and labour towards each other. The main reasons are as follows:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

An attitude of contempt towards the workers on the part of the management. Inadequate fixation of wages or improper wage structure. Indiscipline Unhealthy working conditions at the workplace. Lack of human relations skills on the part of supervisors and managers. Desire of workers for higher bonus, wages or daily allowances. Desire of employers to pay as little as possible to its workers. Inadequate welfare facilities. Dispute on sharing the gains of productivity.

10. Retrenchment, dismissal and lockouts by the management. 11. Strikes by the workers. 12. Inter-union rivals. 13. General economic and political environment such as rising prices, strikes by others
and general indiscipline having their effect on the employees attitudes.

14. Mental inertia on the part of the management.

Three partners of Industrial Relations

Trade Union: Trade unions try to protect interest of workers, they insist upon the development of cultural and educational qualities of there members.

Employers & their organizations: They try to protect the interest of employers, to create healthy industrial atmosphere, so that the objectives of the organization may be achieved. They try to get full co-operation of workers for achieving this objective.

Government:The government plays an important role in establishing better industrial relations. Government passes various laws to protect the interest of both employers and employees.

The Indian Industrial Relations System: Struggling to Address the Dynamics of a Globalizing Economy
1.
Elizabeth Hill

1.University of Sydney, Australia, e.hill@usyd.edu.au

Abstract
The industrial relations system in India has been under pressure for decades and new problems are emerging as the country becomes more integrated into the global economy. The main architecture of the system was established prior to Independence and remains mostly unchanged. The system is highly centralized and the state is the main mediator between capital and labour. Unions have historically enjoyed a close relationship with the state through partybased federations, but this has undermined their success developing a robust grassroots constituency and experience in collective bargaining. This essay provides a broad overview of the evolution of the Indian system of industrial relations and the labour market reform debate that has arisen in the context of economic change. The structure of the Indian labour market, the overwhelming size of the informal or `unorganized' workforce, and its location outside the industrial system is the fundamental challenge facing Indian industrial relations. There is an urgent need to develop a system that embraces all workers especially given India's demographic profile and the expected increase in the number of working age people over the next decade. The experience of women workers and the failure of both the industrial system and the union movement to understand and accommodate their needs is also an important challenge for industrial relations in India.

ZENITH International Journal of Business Economics & Management Research

Vol.2 Issue 8, August 2012, ISSN 2249 8826 Online available at http://zenithresearch.org.in/

www.zenithresearch.org.in

EXISTING INDUSTRIAL RELATION ISSUE IN INDIA: AN OVERVIEW

DR.MALLIKARJUNA N L*
*Professor, Department of Management Studies, SEA College of Engineering & Technology, Bangalore- 49, Karnataka, India.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this Paper is, first, to provide an overview of events which have influenced, or are influencing, the development of industrial relations. Labour relations should be seen as an essential part of management systems and techniques, and not as a discipline or activity apart from management. It then seeks to explain what sound industrial relations and labour relations policy formulation are, and thereafter to underline the importance and objectives of sound industrial relations in the current - and to some extent the future context. It next examines the role of various systems and mechanisms at different levels (national/industry/enterprise) as well as their contribution to promoting sound industrial relations. It also attempts to identify some of the elements which may generally be regarded as features of a good industrial relations system. It

is not suggested that all these elements should co-exist in a system for it to qualify as a sound one, but rather it is intended to point out available options which can help to transform a conflictual system into a more cooperative one. Finally, the Paper identifies current issues in industrial relations KEYWORDS: Industrial relation, negotiations, management, unions.

Disciplining employees: Industrial relations issues and options

If you need to take action over employees' unsatisfactory work performance or conduct, but dismissal is not justified, your options include:

counselling discipline warnings suspension fines or withholding pay.

Suspension, either with or without pay, and fines or withholding pay can only be used if an award, agreement or individual contract specifically provides for them to occur. It is important to choose the action that is appropriate to the circumstances of each case, as the aim should be to improve performance or prevent a recurrence of unsatisfactory conduct, rather than to administer 'punishment'. Disciplinary action may be appropriate where counselling has been unsuccessful and/or where the situation is more serious, but not bad enough to justify dismissal.

Making a decision
A decision whether to discipline should be based on the answers to the following questions:

How serious is the impact of the employee's action: is it dangerous or illegal, how costly is it, how likely is it to affect the reputation of the business? Serious and/or wilful misconduct may justify dismissal instead, depending on the circumstances. What impact does it have on other employees? Will they be encouraged to follow the employees example? (For example, conduct by a manager may be more serious for this reason.) How fundamental is the conduct to competency of the employees basic job performance? What action has been taken in similar situations in the past? Has the employee shown a serious disrespect for the employee and its managers?

What were the reasons for the employees behaviour? For example, causing accidental damage and attempting to conceal it, or a one-off 'rage' incident triggered by outside-work causes may both justify disciplinary action, but are less serious events than damage or incidents caused by malice, incompetence and negligence. In the latter cases, there would appear to be less chance of disciplinary action being an effective deterrent. The individual employee and his/her previous performance and record are also relevant. For example, the longer the employees length of service and the better his/her past record is, the more likely that counselling is likely to be a better approach than discipline.

Alternatively, the worse the record, the more severe the form of discipline should be. That said, you need to maintain a fair and consistent approach overall. The aim of disciplinary action is to prevent a recurrence of the situation, not to inflict punishment or revenge. It has to be appropriate to the situation and the individual.

What discipline involves

Discipline can take various forms. Common ones include:

official warnings written reprimands suspension of employment (where permitted) withdrawal of various entitlements or 'privileges'.

It may be a step along the way towards dismissal if there are recurrences in which case you need to make this clear at the time. Discipline should not be applied until the usual steps of procedural fairness are complied with. This should include:

investigation of issue collection of evidence providing opportunity for employee to respond having witnesses present at interviews.

Any disciplinary action should be notified in writing to the employee, with details placed on his/her employment record. The documentation should set out what steps will follow in the event of any recurrence.

Industrial Relations Issues

In the area of Industrial Relations, the Labour Court carries out the following roles and functions:

Investigate trade disputes under the Industrial Relations Acts, 1946 to 2004. Investigate, at the request of the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, trade disputes affecting the public interest, or conduct an enquiry into a trade dispute of special importance and report on its findings. Hear appeals of Rights Commissioners' recommendations under the Industrial Relations Acts. Establish Joint Labour Committees and decide on questions concerning their operation. Register, vary and interpret employment agreements. Register Joint Industrial Councils. Investigate complaints of breaches of registered employment agreements. Investigate complaints of breaches of codes of practice made under the industrial Relations Act, 1990 (following consideration of the complaint by the Labour Relations Commission). Give its opinion as to the interpretation of a code of practice made under the Industrial Relations Act, 1990. Investigate disputes (where negotiating arrangements are not in place) under the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act, 2001 as amended by the Industrial Relations (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2004.

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