Industrial Disputes
- 2. What is a conflict/dispute? Process One party perceives That another party has negatively affected Or is about to negatively affect Something that the first party cares about
- 3. Industrial Disputes Industrial Dispute Act, 1947: Any dispute or difference between employers and employees, Or between employees and employers, Or between employers and employers, which is connected with the employment, Or non-employment, Or the terms of employment Or with the conditions of work of any person
- 4. Types of Industrial Disputes
- 5. Strikes Collective refusal Of work By a group of workers
- 6. Maruti Suzuki Manesar Plant Strike, 2011- 2012 First time in 11 years Tool Down Strike Three major demands – • Recognition of a new labor union • Equal pay for permanent and contractual workers • No signing the good- conduct bond
- 7. Maruti Suzuki Manesar Plant Strike, 2011- 2012 Management opposed Gave severance package to a few workers in the end Sparked another strike in 2012 Fire broke – killed HR General Manager and 100 other managers 500 workers suspended Loss of 1 billion a day Operations less than 10% of productive capacity Take Away: Equity in compensation and benefits is an influencing factor for outrage
- 8. Hyundai India Sriperumbudur Strike, 2012 2008 – Strike, 87 workers suspended, 27 not taken back 2012 – Management recognised a new labor union – United Union of Hyundai Employees (UUHE) Signed a wage agreement with them without consulting the old union Hyundai Motor India Employees’ Union (HMIEU)
- 9. Hyundai India Sriperumbudur Strike, 2012 Demands • Reinstatement of 27 suspended workers (few were office bearers of HMIEU) • Re-recognition of HMIEU or holding a secret ballot to decide between HMIEU and UUHE Settlement • No pay for strike period • Suspension of 20 workers • Disciplinary action against 5 workers • Acceptance of ID Act 1947, sec 18 (1) by HMIEU – Acceptance of settlement Take Away: Negotiation does not always lead to a win-win situation
- 10. Verizon Strike, 2016 Strike by 40,000 workers Biggest labor action in USA Workers unhappy with work outsourced to call centers in other countries Benefits reduced Caps on pensions Workers were without a contract since August, 2015 Settlement • Raise promised • Pension caps lifted • Benefits initiatives introduced Take Away: Globalization can be a threat to the developed world
- 11. Lockouts Closing of a place of employment Or the suspension of work Or the refusal of an employer to continue to employ any number of persons employed by him
- 12. Toyota India Lockout, 2014 Two lockouts in Bidadi, near Bangalore Hike demand by workers - Unrest Management demanded ‘good conduct’ undertaking Settlement by Karnataka government • Allowed workers to get in without signing • Ordered to life lockout Take Away: Third-party interventions can turn out to be authoritative
- 13. Bosch Jaipur Lockout Pending wage settlement Slow Down Strike – reduced output by 70% Hunger Strike Management declared lockout Officers took up those jobs, to not impact productivity and customers Tripartite discussion – state labor govt, union, management Settlement • Immediate lift of lockout and go-slow action • Management agreed to address wage settlement as soon as possible Take Away: The lowest level of workforce, which makes the majority has the most power in an organization
- 14. American Crystal Sugar Lockout, Minnesota, 2013 Union refused 4 year old labor agreement 13000 workers locked out for 22 months Org put forward same offer 4 times Same offer accepted 5th time, when hardly 4% of the employees were left and the rest shifted jobs Settlement • 13% raise • Cut on health benefits • Few seniority rights Take Away: Management can be stubborn too.
- 15. Gherao Surrounding management Preventing management from entering work premises Preventing them from moving around
- 16. Tiny Owl, 2015 Laid off employees Co-founders trapped inside office for 3 days by laid off employees in Gurgaon and Pune Demand – 2 month’s salary for layoffs Settlement – One month salary provided Take Away: Business loss can aggravate harm to the organization and other stakeholders
- 17. Goodyear Tyres, France, 2009 Factory due to close Executives taken hostage Demand – Find potential buyers or pay enormous money as severance pay Executives freed by police Eight employees jailed Take Away: Labour laws differ from country to country. France – Maximum industrial disputes in the world
- 18. Picketing Posters, banner, signs Picket lines Encourages others to join
- 19. BBC, London, 2015 Organization planned to cut around 4000 jobs Privatise some sections of the corporation To meet changes Save money, which could be invested in new programmes 3 unions protested However, they were ready to compromise if made party to changes Take Away: Organization change and development needs to be done constantly and not in one go
- 20. Swadeshi Movement, 1906 Bengal partition Boycott foreign goods Picket lines outside shops selling foreign goods Peaceful picketing Take Away: Overlap in types of industrial disputes
- 21. Boycott Disrupt normal functioning of organization Creating hindrance to put forward a point
- 22. Cochin Port Union, 2010 Boycott of Israeli ships and cargo In protest against sieze of Gaza by Israeli forces Protest rally near the Israeli shipping line Take Away: Factors other than employee welfare may initiate disputes
- 23. Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) Boycott FWICE – Bollywood’s biggest trade union comprising over 25000 actors, lighting and sound technicians, camera operators and dancers Members won’t work in Australia until attack on Indian students stopped Strained diplomatic relations between India and Australia Take Away: Industrial disputes may stem from and in turn affect others apart from the employee and employers
- 24. Culinary Workers Union, Nevada, 2016 Boycott of Donald Trump’s properties – restaurants, golf courses Until he starts bargaining with the union over a contract which he had failed to do Supported by 56 unions and 12 million workers Take Away: Strong causes which impact stakeholders other than those associated with an industry wins immense support from outsiders as well