Types of strikes

type of strikes

2. PROF. K. ANILAAMBIKA.
COMMERCE & MANAGEMENT STUDIES.
SUBJECT : HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS)
TITEL: TYPES OF STRIKES
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
AKNUMSN P.G.CENTER, KAKINADA.

3. DEFINITION OF STRIKE
•INDUSTRIALDISPUTEACT1947SECTION2(Q)STRIKEMEANS”ACESSATIONOFWORKBYABODYOF
PERSONSEMPLOYEDINANYINDUSTRYACTINGINCOMBINATIONORACONCERTEDREFUSAL,OR
REFUSALUNDERACOMMONUNDERSTANDIHG,OFANYNUMBEROFPERSONSWHOAREORHAVEBEENSO
EMPLOYEDTOCONTINUETOWORKORTOACCEPTEMPLOYMENT.”

4. STRIKE HAS BEEN DEFINED IN SECTION 2(Q) OF THE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT 1947 IN
THE FOLLOWING WORDS
STRIKE IS A VERY POWERFUL WEAPON USED BY TRADE
UNIONS AND OTHER LABOR ASSOCIATIONS TO GET THEIR
DEMANDS ACCEPTED. IT GENERALLY INVOLVES QUITTING OF WORK
BY A GROUP OF WORKERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING THE
PRESSURE ON THEIR EMPLOYER SO THAT THEIR DEMANDS GET
ACCEPTED. WHEN WORKERS COLLECTIVELY CEASE TO WORK IN A
PARTICULAR INDUSTRY, THEY ARE SAID TO BE ON STRIKE.

5. WHAT IS STRIKE ?
•A STRIKE ACTION IS WHEN LARGE NO.OF PEOPLE USED TO PRESSURE GOVERNMENT OR AN
ORGANISATION TO CHENGE THE POLICY.
•STRIKE IS A VERY POWERFUL WEAPON TO GET ITS DEMANDS ACCEPTED BY A TRADE UNION OR IN THE
HAND IT’S THE WAY OF SHOWING STRENGTH OF A UNION.
•THE USE OF ENGLISH WORD “STRIKE “ FIRST APPEARED IN 1768,WHEN SAILORS IN SUPPORT OF
DEMONSTRATION IN LONDON. REMOVED THE TOPGALLANT SAILS OF MERCHANT SHIPS AT PORT, THUS
CRIPPLING THE SHIPS
•ACCORDING TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT ,1947,STRIKE MEANS ,”CESSATION OF WORK BY A GROUP OF
WORKERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING PRESSURES ON THEIR EMPLOYERS TO ACCEPT THEIR
DEMANDS”

6. TYPES OF STRIKES
•ECONOMIC STRIKES
•SYMPATHETIC STRIKES
•GENERAL STRIKES
•SIT –DOWN STRIKES
•SLOW –DOWN STRIKES
•HUNGER STRIKES
•GHERAO
•BOYCOTT
•WILDCAT STRIKES

7. ECONOMIC STRIKES
•UNDERTHISTYPEOFSTRIKE,LABORSSTOPTHEIRWORKTOENFORCE
THEIRECONOMICDEMANDSSUCHASWAGESANDBONUS.INTHESE
KINDSOFSTRIKES,WORKERSASKFORINCREASEINWAGES,
ALLOWANCESLIKETRAVELINGALLOWANCE,HOUSERENTALLOWANCE,
DEARNESSALLOWANCE,BONUSANDOTHERFACILITIESSUCHAS
INCREASEINPRIVILEGELEAVEANDCASUALLEAVE
EXAMPLEMASSIVESTRIKEFOREQUALPAY
•OVER8000WORKERSEMPLOYEDBYGLASGOWCITYCOUNCILIN
SCOTLANDTOOKSTRIKEACTIONON23-24OCTOBERTOPUTPRESSURE
ONTHEIREMPLOYERTODELIVEREQUALPAY.THEDISPUTEDATESBACK
ASFARAS2006WHENANEWPAYSCHEMEWASSUPPOSEDTOENDTO
PAYINEQUALITYBASEDONGENDER.INSTEAD,ITSIMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCEDNEWDISCRIMINATORYMEASURES.

8. SYMPATHETIC STRIKES
•WHEN WORKERS OF ONE UNIT OR INDUSTRY GO ON STRIKE IN SYMPATHY WITH
WORKERS OF ANOTHER UNIT OR INDUSTRY WHO ARE ALREADY ON STRIKE, IT IS CALLED
A SYMPATHETIC STRIKE. THE MEMBERS OF OTHER UNIONS INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN A
STRIKE TO SUPPORT OR EXPRESS THEIR SYMPATHY WITH THE MEMBERS OF UNIONS
WHO ARE ON STRIKE IN OTHER UNDERTAKINGS. THE WORKERS OF SUGAR INDUSTRY
MAY GO ON STRIKE IN SYMPATHY WITH THEIR FELLOW WORKERS OF THE TEXTILE
INDUSTRY WHO MAY ALREADY BE ON STRIKE.
•EXAMPLETHE MANAGEMENT OF SILVERSANDS... VS THE WORKMEN, SILVERSANDS... ON
1 AUGUST, 1995
•EQUIVALENT CITATIONS: (1995) 2 MLJ 596 UNDER SECTION 25F IN THE INDUSTRIAL
DISPUTES ACT, 1947

9. GENERAL STRIKES
•IT MEANS A STRIKE BY MEMBERS OF ALL OR MOST OF THE UNIONS IN A
REGION OR AN INDUSTRY. IT MAY BE A STRIKE OF ALL THE WORKERS IN
A PARTICULAR REGION OF INDUSTRY TO FORCE DEMANDS COMMON TO
ALL THE WORKERS. THESE STRIKES ARE USUALLY INTENDED TO CREATE
POLITICAL PRESSURE ON THE RULING GOVERNMENT, RATHER THAN ON
ANY ONE EMPLOYER. IT MAY ALSO BE AN EXTENSION OF THE
SYMPATHETIC STRIKE TO EXPRESS GENERALIZED PROTEST BY THE
WORKERS.
•EXAMPLE ON 2 SEPTEMBER 2016, AN ESTIMATED 150 MILLION[1][2] TO
180 MILLION[CITATION NEEDED] INDIAN PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS
WENT ON A 24-HOUR NATIONWIDE GENERAL STRIKE AGAINST PRIME
MINISTER NARENDRA MODI'S PLANS FOR INCREASING PRIVATIZATION
AND OTHER ECONOMIC POLICIES.

10. SIT –DOWN STRIKES
•IN THIS CASE, WORKERS DO NOT ABSENT THEMSELVES FROM THEIR PLACE OF WORK
WHEN THEY ARE ON STRIKE. THEY KEEP CONTROL OVER PRODUCTION FACILITIES. BUT
DO NOT WORK. SUCH A STRIKE IS ALSO KNOWN AS 'PEN DOWN' OR 'TOOL DOWN'
STRIKE. WORKERS SHOW UP TO THEIR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, BUT THEY REFUSE TO
WORK. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO LEAVE, WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR
EMPLOYER TO DEFY THE UNION AND TAKE THE WORKERS' PLACES.
•EXAMPLE DELHI CLOTH & GENERAL MILLS CO. LTD. V. WORKMEN & OTHERS .
WHETHER THE ‘SIT-DOWN' STRIKE AT THE SWATANTRA BHARAT MILLS FROM23-2-
1966 IS JUSTIFIED AND LEGAL AND WHETHER THE WORKMEN ARE ENTITLEDTO
WAGES DURING THE PERIOD OF THE STRIKE...ISSUES 3 AND 4, THE CONTENTION OF
THE MANAGEMENT WAS THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF THESE TWO MATTERS
WAS THAT THERE WAS A STRIKE AT THE DELHI CLOTH MILLS AND A SIT-DOWN STRIKE
AT THE SWATANTRA BHARAT.... THE TRIBUNAL CONSIDERED THE PLEAS PUT FORWARD
BEFORE IT AND SEVERAL DECISIONS CITED IN SUPPORT AND CAME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT AS THE STRIKE COVERED BY ISSUE 3 AND SIT-DOWN STRIKE
COVERED BY ISSUE 4.

11. SLOW –DOWN STRIKES
•GO-SLOW IS YET ANOTHER FORM OF INDUSTRIAL PROTEST IN WHICH
WORKMEN DO NOT STOP THE WORK BUT DELIBERATELY SLOW-DOWN THE
PROCESS OF PRODUCTION IN ORDER TO CAUSE LOSS OF PRODUCTION TO THE
EMPLOYER. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THERE IS NO CESSATION OF WORK ATALL,
AND IN FACT, WORKMEN PRETEND THEMSELVES AS ENGAGED IN DOING THEIR
WORK
•EXAMPLE AT FORD'S PLANT IN DAGENHAM, UK, DURING THE 1970S, WORKERS
INTRODUCED A SLOWDOWN AFTER FORD MANAGEMENT INCREASED THE
PRODUCTION LINE SPEED FROM 18 TO 21 FEET PER MINUTE. THIS WAS A
SECOND SPEED INCREASE, AND WORKERS FELT THAT THIS WAS UNFAIR. AFTER
A GO-SLOW BY PRODUCTION LINE STAFF, FORD MANAGEMENT REDUCED THE
LINE SPEED BACK TO 18 FEET PER MINUTE

12. HUNGER STRIKES
•IN THIS FORM OF INDUSTRIAL PROTEST, WORKMEN RESORT
TO FASTING NEAR THE WORKPLACE IN ORDER TO DEMAND THE
EMPLOYER TO REDRESS THEIR GRIEVANCES.
•EXAMPLE STRIKE-POTTISRIRAMULU WAS AN INDIAN
REVOLUTIONARY WHO DIED AFTER UNDERTAKING A HUNGER
STRIKE FOR 58 DAYS IN 1952 AFTER INDIAN INDEPENDENCE IN
AN ATTEMPT TO ACHIEVE THE FORMATION OF A SEPARATE
STATE, TO BE KNOWN AS ANDHRA STATE. HIS DEATH BECAME
INSTRUMENTAL IN THE LINGUISTIC RE-ORGANISATIONOF
STATES

13. GHERAO
•GHERAO, MEANING “ENCIRCLEMENT,“ IS A WORD ORIGINALLY FROM
HINDI. THIS TYPE OF STRIKE IS RESTRICTED TO INDIAONLY
•USUALLY, A GROUP OF PEOPLE WOULD SURROUND A POLITICIAN OR A
GOVERNMENT BUILDING UNTIL THEIR DEMANDS ARE MET , OR ANSWERS
GIVEN.
•IT FORM OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN INDIAIN WHICH WORKERS
IMPRISON THGEIREMPLOYERS ON THE PREMISES
•EXAMPLE APRIL 1977 : A PROPOSAL FOR DISSOLUTION OF STUDENT AND
YOUTH ORGANISATIONSAND MERGING THEM AS YOUTH WING OF
RULING PARTY MADE AT A MEETING OF MANY SUCH ORGANISATIONSAT
SARNATH, WAS REJECTED BY ABVP; STRESSED ON BEING ABOVE PARTY
POLITICS. ABVP CONTINUED ITS WORK.

14. BOYCOTT
•A BOYCOTT IS AN ACT OF VOLUNTARILY ABSTAINING FROM
USING , BUYING ,OR DEALING WITH A PERSON ORGANIZATION ,
OR COUNTRY AS AN EXPRESSION OF PROTEST.
•IN THIS CASE WORKERS DECIDE NOT TO USE THE COMPANY’S
PRODUCTS THE APPEALING THE PUBLIC TO DO SO. IT IS AN
VOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL OF CO-OPERATION.
•EXAMPLETHE INDIAN BOYCOTT OF CHINA GOODS AND
SERVICES ORGANIZED BY NARENDRAMODI.

15. WILDCAT STRIKES
•THESE STRIKES ARE CONDUCTED BY WORKERS OR EMPLOYEES
WITHOUT THE AUTHORITY AND CONSENT OF UNIONS. IN 2004, A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ADVOCATED WENT ON WILDCAT STRIKE AT
THE CITY CIVIL COURT PREMISES IN BANGALORE. THEY WERE
PROTESTING AGAINST SOME REMARKS ALLEGEDLY MADE AGAINST
THEM BY AN ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER.
•EXAMPLE THE WILDCAT STRIKE EXPLODED A WEEK AGO, WITH
AROUND 2,000 WORKERS DEMANDING THE RECOGNITION OF A NEW
UNION -MARUTI SUZUKI EMPLOYEES UNION (MSEU) -FORMED BY
THOSE WORKING AT THE MANESAR PLANT, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
•AROUND 1,000 WORKERS FROM DIFFERENT FIRMS IN THE GURGAON-
MANESAR INDUSTRIAL BELT GATHERED AT THE GATE OF MSI'S
MANESAR PLANT TODAY TO EXPRESS SOLIDARITY WITH THE MSEU
STRIKERS.

16. JUSTIFIED AND UNJUSTIFIED
STRIKES
JUSTIFIED
•WHEN EXISTING FACILITIES WITHDRAWN
BENEFITS WITHDRAWN.
•UNFAIR LABOUR PRACTICE BY MANAGEMENT.
•NO RESPONSE FROM MANAGEMENT IN SPITE OF
REFERRING A DEMAND & ISSUING A REMINDER.
UNJUSTIFIED
•STRIKES LAUNCHED FOR POLITICAL REASONS.
•DEMANDS ARE EXCESSIVE, NOT FEASIBLE AND
UNREASONABLE.

17. INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT, 1947
PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS
(SECTION 26)
•ANY WORKMAN WHO COMMENCES, CONTINUES OR OTHERWISE ACTS IN FURTHERANCE OF, A STRIKE
WHICH IS ILLEGAL UNDER THIS ACT, SHALL BE PUNISHABLE WITH IMPRISONMENT FOR A TERM WHICH
MAY EXTEND TO ONE MONTH, OR WITH FINE WHICH MAY EXTEND TO FIFTY RUPEES, OR WITH BOTH.
•ANY EMPLOYER WHO COMMENCES, CONTINUES, OR OTHERWISE ACTS IN FURTHERANCE OF A LOCK-OUT
WHICH IS ILLEGAL UNDER THIS ACT, SHALL BE PUNISHABLE WITH IMPRISONMENT FOR A TERM WHICH
MAY EXTEND TO ONE MONTH, OR WITH FINE WHICH MAY EXTEND TO ONE THOUSAND RUPEES, OR WITH
BOTH.

18. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT ACT
SECTION 74 IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES (CENTRAL)
RULES, 1957
•74. REPORT OF NOTICE OF STRIKE OR LOCK-OUT.—THE REPORT OF NOTICEOF A STRIKE OR LOCK-OUT TO
BE SUBMITTED BY THE EMPLOYER UNDER SUB-SECTION (6) OF SECTION 22, SHALL BE SENT BY
REGISTERED POST OR GIVEN PERSONALLY TO THE ASSISTANT LABOURCOMMISSIONER (CENTRAL)
APPOINTED FOR LOCAL AREA CONCERNED, WITH
CONTAINS…….

19. COPY BY REGISTERED POST TO—
(1)THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CONCERNED,
(2)THE REGIONAL LABOURCOMMISSIONER (CENTRAL) FOR THE ZONE,
(3)CHIEF LABOURCOMMISSIONER (CENTRAL),
(4)MINISTRY OF LABOUROF THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA,
(5)LABOURDEPARTMENT OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT CONCERNED, AND
(6)THE DISTRICT MAGISTRATE CONCERNED.
CREATED BY
S. ESWARARGHAVENDRAKUMAR.
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION