Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
Central Legislative Assembly
	Long title An Act to make provision for the investigation and settlement of industrial disputes, and for certain other purposes. ;
Citation	Act No. 14 of 1947
Enacted by	Central Legislative Assembly
Enacted	11 March 1947
Assented to	11 March 1947
Commenced	1 April 1947
Repealed by
	Industrial Relations Code, 2020
	Status: Repealed

The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 extended to the whole of India and regulated Indian labour law concerning trade unions as well as Individual workman employed in any industry within the territory of Indian mainland. Enacted on 11 March 1947 and It came into force 1 April 1947. It was replaced by the Industrial Relations Code, 2020.

Objectives

An act to make provision for the investigation and settlement of industrial disputes, and for certain other purposes. The objective of the Industrial Disputes Act is to secure industrial peace and harmony by providing mechanism and procedure for the investigation and settlement of industrial disputes by conciliation, arbitration and adjudication which is provided under the statute. The main and ultimate objective of this act is "Maintenance of Peaceful work culture in the Industry in India" which is clearly provided under the Statement of Objects & Reasons of the statute.

The laws apply only to the organised sector. Chapter V talks about the most important and often in news topic of 'Strikes and Lockouts'. It talks about the Regulation of strikes and lockouts and the proper procedure which is to be followed to make it a Legal instrument of 'Economic Coercion' either by the Employer or by the Workmen. Chapter V-B, introduced by an amendment in 1976, requires firms employing 300 or more workers to obtain government permission for layoffs, retrenchments and closures. A further amendment in 1982 (which took effect in 1984) expanded its ambit by reducing the threshold to 100 workers.

The Act also lays down:

The provision for payment of compensation to the workman on account of closure or lay off or retrenchment.
The procedure for prior permission of appropriate Government for laying off or retrenching the workers or closing down industrial establishments
Unfair labour practices on part of an employer or a trade union or workers.

Applicability

The Industrial Disputes Act extends to whole of India and applies to every Industry and its various industrial establishment carrying on any business, trade, manufacture or distribution of goods and services irrespective of the number of workmen employed there in.

Every person employed in an establishment for hire or reward including contract labour, apprentices and part-time employees to do any manual, clerical, skilled, unskilled, technical, operational or supervisory work, is covered by the Act.

This Act though does not apply to persons mainly in managerial or administrative capacity, persons engaged in a supervisory capacity and drawing > 10,000 p.m or executing managerial functions and persons subject to Army Act, Air Force and Navy Act or those in police service or officer or employee of a prison.

Applicability to Parent Act

Trades Dispute Act

Related Sections Of The Act

Section 1 : Short title, and commencement

Important Definitions

Section 2A : Appropriate Government

Any industry carried on by or under the authority of the Central Govt, or by a railway company or a Dock Labour Board, or the Industrial Finance Corporation of India Ltd, or the ESIC, or the board of trustees of the Coal Mines PF, or FCI, or LIC or in relation to any other industrial dispute, the state Government.

Section 2J : Industry

The definition of Industry under the Act is taken from the Supreme Court's judgment in Bangalore water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa.^[1]

Triple Test formulae The organization is Prima Facie an industry if it is

1. A systematic activity

2. Organized by co-operation between an employer and an employee

3. for the production of goods and services calculated to satisfy human wants and wishes. (not spiritual or pious in nature but inclusive of material things or services geared to seek celestial bliss)

Section 2BB: Banking company
Section 2G : Employer
Section 2J : Industry
Section 2K : Industrial dispute
Section 2A : Industrial dispute between individual and employer
Section 2KA: Industrial establishment or undertaking
Section 2KK: Insurance company
Section 2LA: Major port
Section 2LB: Mine
Section 2N : Public utility service
Section 2O : Railway Company
Section 2RR: Wages
Section 2S : Workmen (Including an Apprentice)industrial act

Related Schedules

Schedule II - S7 : Matters Within The Jurisdiction Of Labour Courts
Schedule III - S7A : Matters Within The Jurisdiction Of Industrial Tribunal
Schedule IV - NOTICE OF CHANGE
Schedule V - UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICE

Notes

^ AIR 1978 SC 548, AIR 1978 SC 548; AIR 1978 SC 548. "AIR 1978 SC 548". Air 1978 Sc 548.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

Introduction to the Act
The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

[AIR_1978_SC_548-1] AIR 1978 SC 548, AIR 1978 SC 548; AIR 1978 SC 548. "AIR 1978 SC 548". Air 1978 Sc 548.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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