Methods and Machinery for the settlement of Industrial disputes

4. Tripartite bodies

Several tripartite bodies have been constituted at the Central and State levels. The Indian Labour Conference, Standing Labour Committees, Wage Boards and Industrial Committees operate at the Center. At the State levels, State Labour Advisory Boards have been set up. All these bodies play an important role in reaching at agreements on various labour matters. The recommendations of these bodies are advisory in nature but carry a great eight on employers, trade unions and the government. All these bodies constitute the consultative machinery for the private sector.

5. Code of discipline

Code of Discipline is a set of self imposed mutually agreed voluntary principles of discipline and good relations between the management and the workers in industry. Formally announced in 1958, the Code of Discipline provides guidelines for the workers, unions and employers. It aims at preventing disputes through negotiations without the interference of an outside agency. A few important provisions of code of discipline are:

i. Prior and proper notice is mandatory before going on strike.

ii. No action can be taken in isolation without consulting all the parties.

iii. No deliberate damage to the organization.

iv. Act of violence, intimidation, coercion or instigation should not be resorted.

v. the existing machinery for settlement of disputes should be used.

The code has moral sanction only and it does not entail any legal liability or punishment.

6. Standing Orders

Standing orders define and regulate terms and conditions of employment and bring about uniformity in them. These also specify the duties and responsibilities of both employers and employees and regulate standards of their conduct.  Therefore,   the purpose of these orders is to prescribe guidelines for regulating relations between employers and employees under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders ) Act, 1946. Every factory employing 100 or more workers is required to frame standing orders in consultation with the workers. These orders must be certified and displayed properly for the employer for the information of workers. The Center and State governments have framed model standing orders which can be adopted by any industrial establishment.