Protected Workmen required today for growth

workment protection

1. Protected
Workmen
By
Vinod Kr Sharma
Corporate Trainer & Consultant HR
LLB, MBA -HR, PGDLL&LW
Ph.D. -Research Scholar
Mobile No. –9818688186
Email id –[email protected]

2. What is Protected Workmen?
●Everyregisteredtradeunionconnectedwithanindustrialestablishment,towhichtheActapplies,
shallcommunicatetotheemployerbeforethe30thAprileveryyear,thenamesandaddressofsuch
oftheofficersoftheunionwhoareemployedinthatestablishmentandwho,intheopinionofthe
unionshouldberecognizedas“Protectedworkmen”.
●Anychangeintheincumbencyofanysuchofficershallbecommunicatedtotheemployerbythe
unionwithinfifteendaysofsuchchange.
●Withinfifteendaysofthereceiptofthenamesandaddressundersub0rule(1)thelistofworkmen
recognizedasprotectedworkmenfortheperiodoftwelvemonthsfromthedateofsuch
communication.
●Whenadisputearisesbetweenanemployerandanyregisteredtradeunioninanymatterconnected
withtherecognitionofprotectedworkmenunderthisrulethedisputeshallbereferredtoany
RegionalLabourCommissioner(Central)orAssistantLabourCommissioner(Central)concerned
whosedecisionthereonshallbefinal.

3. Who is a Protected Workman in the
organization?
A"protectedworkman",inrelationtoanestablishment,meansa
workmanwho,beingamemberoftheexecutiveorotherofficebearerof
aregisteredtradeunionconnectedwiththeestablishment,isrecognised
assuchinaccordancewithrulesmadeinthisbehalf.

4. Number of Protected Workmen?
AsperSection33(4)oftheIndustrialDisputesAct,1947
●Thenumberofworkmentoberecognizedasprotectedworkmenshallbeone
percentofthetotalnumberofworkmenemployedthereinsubjecttoa
minimumnumberoffiveprotectedworkmenandamaximumnumberofone
hundredprotectedworkmen.
●Wheretherearemorethanoneregisteredtradeunionsinestab,themax.
numberofprotectedworkmenshallbedistributedamongunionsinsuchaway
thateachunionshallhaverepresentationasprotectedworkmeninproportion
tothemembershipoftheunions.

5. Rights of Protected Workmen
Section33(3)ofIndustrialDisputesAct,1947,providesthatduringthependencyofany
conciliationprocedurebeforeaconciliationofficeroraBoardorofanyproceeding
beforeanarbitratororaLabourCourtorTribunalorNationalTribunalinrespectofan
industrialdispute,theemployershouldnotinitiateanyactionagainstanyprotected
workmanconcernedinsuchdispute-
●byaltering,totheprejudiceofsuchprotectedworkman,theconditionsofserviceapplicable
tohimimmediatelybeforethecommencementofsuchproceedings;or
●bydischargingorpunishing,whetherbydismissalorotherwise,suchprotectedworkman,
savewiththeexpresspermissioninwritingoftheauthoritybeforewhichtheproceedingis
pending.
heshouldgetexpresspermissionfromtheconcernedauthorityafterapplyinginthe
requiredformat.

6. Recognition of a Protected Workman is not automatic.
Itisonlyincaseswherethemanagementfindsthatthetradeunionconcernedis
seekingrecognitionformorenumberofofficebearersthanpermissible,underS.
33(4)oftheAct,theemployerwillhavethelibertyofrecognisingonlythepermitted
numberasprotectedworkmen.Evenso,themanagementisrequiredtosenda
communicationtothetradeunionwithin15days.
RecognitionofaProtectedWorkmanisnotautomatic.
ItrequiresapositiveactionfromEmployerforrecognition
[H.KalyanivsM/S.AirFranceCalcutta(1963AIR1756=1964SCR(2)104]

7. DEEMED RECOGNITION
UndertheruleswhatissetoutisthattheUnionmustintimatetotheemployer,which
oftheworkmenaretobeconferredthestatusofprotectedworkmen,andthe
employerthen,within15daysofthereceiptoftheletter,shouldcommunicatetothe
Unionthelistofworkmenrecognized,tobeprotectedworkmen.
Thusthelawregardingrecognitionof‘ProtectedWorkman’requiresapositive
actiononthepartofanEmployerintimatinginwritingtotheUnionaboutthe
personsrecognizedbytheEmployerasProtectedWorkman.IncasetheEmployer
failstocommunicatewithintheprescribedtimeortheemployerdoesnotagree
withthelistsubmittedbytheUnionthentheUnionmayraiseadisputebeforethe
appropriateAuthorityasprescribedundertherulesforgettingrecognitionofthe
protectedworkmen.

8. Protected workman –If union nominates a
workman facing Disciplinary Proceedings
OfficebeareroftheUnionfacingdisciplinaryproceedingsisnot
entitledtobenominatedbytheUnionforrecognitionasprotected
workmanandthemanagementisabsolutelywithintheirpowers
todeclinerecognitiontosuchanoffice-bearerundersub-rule(2)
ofRule61.

9. CASE LAWS

10. CaseofSunderLalJainHospitalKarmachariUnionvsGovt.OfDelhi(2002(92)FLR566)
oftheDelhiHighcourtwhichhassetoutthebroadparametersandprinciplesforrecognitionof
aProtectedWorkmaninanestab.Insuccinctitisreproducedhereinbelow:
(1)Toqualifyforspecialprotectionthepersonshouldbelongtoaregistered
organization/unionconnectedwiththeestablishment.
(2)Thepersonsconcernedmustalsobeamemberoftheexecutiveorotherofficebearer
ofsuchregisteredunion.
(3)TheUnionshouldbeanentityconnectedwiththeestablishment.
(4)UnionShouldgenuinelyrepresentstheworkforceandfarmingoutofProtected
WorkmenstatusistobegovernedbySection33(4)oftheAct.Strictadherencetothe
section33(4)isrequiredsoastoensurethatdistributionisnotmadeinfavourofUnion
whichafriendlyUnionoftheManagementorastoogeordummy.

11. (5)TheUnionshouldnominatepersonswithaviewtoprotecttheinterestsofthe
workforce.Theobjectiveshouldnotbetoshieldthenomineefrompunitiveactionfora
misdemeanouralreadycommittedbyhim,unrelatedtothelabourmovement/cause.
(6)TheUnionshouldcommunicatetotheestablishmenttheparticularsofthepersons
whoarenominatedbytheUnionforsuchstatuswithinthemonthofAprilforprotectionin
theimmediatelyfollowingyear.Achangeintheincumbencymustbecommunicated
withinfifteendaysofsuchchange.[Rule61(1)].
(7)Theemployermustconformtosection33(4)andmustconveyitsrecognitionwithin
fifteendaysofthereceiptofthenamesproposedbytheUnionfortheperiodbetween
AprilandMarch.[Rule61(2)].WherenoresponseismadebytheManagementwithinthis
period,itsapprovalshouldbedeemed.
(8)Ifadisputearisesinregardtothestatusof'protectedworkmen'themattershouldbe
referredforthedecisionofanyRegionalorAssistantLabourCommissioner(Central)or
anyotherOfficertowhomthesepowersaredelegated.

12. (9)ObjectionsrecordedbytheManagementtotheproposednames,thelistforwarded
bytheUnionwouldnotbebindingontheManagement.TheratioofHon'bleSupreme
CourtinP.H.Kalyaniv.AirFrance,Calcutta,wouldapply.
(10)TheManagementisnotallowedtorejectanominationwithobliquemotivesasthis
willthandefeattheentirepurposeofgrantingprotectiontoatrade-unionist.

13. HLLLifecareLtd.v.HindustanLatexLabourUnion(AITUC),W.A1171of2010
that“itisuptothemanagementtoconsiderwhetheranyoftheoffice-bearersnominatedbytheunion
isundesirableorineligibleforrecognitionandiftheyfindsoforvalidreasons,theyarefreetorejectthe
nominationofsuchoffice-bearer.Ifthemanagementdeclinestorecogniseanyoffice-beareras
protectedworkman,itisfortheUniontoeithercontestthesamebyraisingadisputebeforetheLabour
Commissionerasprovidedundersub-rule(4)ofRule61oftheRuleswhosedecisionshallbefinalor
tosendthenameofanotheroffice-bearerforrecognitionasprotectedworkman..However,
managementisentitledtodeclinerecognitionasprotectedworkmentoapersonnominatedby
theunion,ifanydisciplinaryproceedingispendingagainstsuchworkman.Unioncertainlycannot
exercisetheirpowerunderRule61(1)togiveimmunitytoanemployeeagainstwhomdisciplinary
proceedingsinitiatedbythemanagementarepending,bynominatinghisnameforrecognitionas
protectedworkman.”
Themanagementisabsolutelywithintheirpowerstodeclinerecognitiontosuchanoffice-bearer
undersub-rule(2)ofRule61.Insuchcasesthemanagementshouldinformitsintentiontodeclinethe
nameofaparticularworkerinthelist,within15days,failingwhichitcanbepresumedthatthe
managementhasnoobjectionintheproposalfurnishedbytheunion.

14. AN ARTICLE ON PROTECTED WORKMAN :
A JUDICIAL PERSPECTIVE
AJAYA KUMAR SAMANTARAY, DEPUTY CHIEFLABOUR COMMISSIONER
(CENTRAL),SHRAMBHAWAN,DHANBAD:826003
Conditionsofservice,etc.toremainunchangedundercertaincircumstances.
(1)DuringpendencyofanyconciliationproceedingsbeforeaconciliationofficeroraBoardorof
anyproceedingbefore[anarbitratoror]aLabourCourtorTribunalorNationalTribunalin
respectofanindustrialdispute,noemployershall,
(a)inregardtoanymatterconnectedwithdispute,alter,totheprejudiceoftheworkmenconcernedin
suchdispute,theconditionsofserviceapplicabletothemimmediatelybeforethecommencementofsuch
proceedings;or
(b)foranymisconductconnectedwiththedispute,dischargeorpunish,whetherbydismissalorotherwise,
anyworkmenconcernedinsuchdispute,saveaswiththeexpresspermissioninwritingoftheauthority
beforewhichtheproceedingispending.

15. (2)Duringthependencyofanysuchproceedinginrespectofanindustrialdispute,the
employermay,inaccordancewiththestandingordersapplicabletoaworkman
concernedinsuchdispute,orwhentherearenostandingorders,inaccordancewiththe
termsofthecontract,whetherexpressorimpliedbetweenhimandtheworkman–
(a)alterinregardtoanymatternotconnectedwiththedispute,theconditionsofservice
applicabletothatworkmanimmediatelybeforethecommencementofsuch
proceeding;or
(b)foranymisconductnotconnectedwiththedispute,dischargeorpunishwhetherby
dismissalorotherwise,thatworkman:
Providedthatnosuchworkmanshallbedischargedordismissed,unlesshehas
beenpaidwagesforonemonthandanapplicationhasbeenmadebytheemployerto
theauthoritybeforewhichtheproceedingispendingforapprovaloftheactiontakenby
theemployer.

16. (3)Notwithstandinganythingcontainedinsub-section(2)noemployershallduringthe
pendencyofanysuchproceedinginrespectofanyindustrialdispute,takeanyaction
againstanyprotectedworkmanconcernedinsuchdispute–
(a)byaltering,totheprejudiceofsuchprotectedworkman,theconditionsofservice
applicabletohimimmediatelybeforethecommencementofsuchproceeding;or
(b)bydischargingorpunishing,whetherbydismissalorotherwisesuchprotected
workman,savewiththeexpresspermissioninwritingoftheauthoritybeforewhichthe
proceedingispending.
Explanation–forthepurposeofthissub-section,a“protectedworkman”inrelationto
anestablishment,meansaworkman,whobeingamemberoftheexecutiveorother
officebearerofaregisteredtradeunionconnectedwiththeestablishment,isrecognized
assuchinaccordancewithrulesmadeinthisbehalf.

17. (4)Ineveryestab.,thenumberofworkmentoberecognizedasprotectedworkmenforthe
purposeofsub-section(3)shallbeonepercentofthetotalnumberofworkmanemployedtherein
subjecttoaminimumnumberoffiveprotectedworkmenandamaximumnumberofonehundred
protectedworkmenandforthisaforesaidpurposetheappropriategovtmaymakerulesproviding
forthedistributionofsuchprotectedworkmenamongvarioustradeunions,ifanyconnectedwith
theestab.andmannerinwhichtheworkmenmaybechosenandrecognizedasprotected
workmen.
(5)whereanemployermakesanapplicationtoaconciliationofficer,board,anarbitrator,aLabour
Court,TribunalorNationalTribunalundertheprovisotosub-section(2)forapprovaloftheaction
takebyhim,theauthorityconcernedshallwithoutdelayheresuchapplicationandpasswithina
periodofthreemonthsfromthedateofreceiptofsuchapplicationsuchorderinrelationtheretoas
itdeemsfit:
Providedthatwhereanysuchauthorityconsideritnecessaryorexpedientsotodo,itmayfor
reasontoberecordedinwritingextendsuchperiodbysuchfurtherperiodasitmaythinkfit.
Providedfurtherthatnoproceedingbeforeanysuchauthorityshalllapsemerelyontheground
thatanyperiodspecifiedinthissub-sectionhadexpiredwithoutsuchproceedingsbeing
contemplated.

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