Gujarat witnesses 26 workers' strikes in 2014: Labour Minister

NEW DELHI: Gujarat witnessed the maximum number of 26 strikes by workers in 2014, followed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Parliament was informed today.

Tamil Nadu and Kerala reported 19 and 16 strikes, respectively, by workers in 2014, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply today.

However, maximum number of 8 lockouts were reported in Andhra Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu (5) and Kerala (4), the minister informed.

As many as 126 strikes were reported in 2014 compared to 177 in previous year, the minister said.

The total man days loss was 36.20 lakh days in 2014 compared to 1.03 crore days in 2013.

The minister said that recently the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 was amended, section 2A of which allows workman to directly approach the Labour Court or Tribunal for adjudication of dispute arising out of discharge, dismissal, retrenchment or termination from service.

The amended act also provides for establishment of a Grievance Redressal Machinery (GRM) within industrial establishment having 20 or more workmen with one stage appeal at the head of the establishment for resolution of disputes arising out of individual grievances.

With this amendment, the workman will get one more alternative grievance redressal mechanism for the resolution of his dispute within the organisation itself with minimum necessity for adjudication, he said.

The minister also said that this ministry has developed a 'Shram Suvidha Portal' for on-line Registration of Units, Reporting of Inspections, submissions of Annual Returns and Redressal of Grievances.

The portal facilitates ease of reporting at one place for various Labour Laws by a single On-line Annual Return, consolidate information of Labour inspections and its enforcement thereby enhancing transparency in Labour Inspections, providing effective Grievance Redressal System, he added.