Features of IR according to

definitions
• industrial relations do not emerge in vacuum. These are born out of
‘employment relationship’ in an industrial setting. Without the
existence of two parties, i.e. labour and management, this
relationship cannot exist. It is the industry which provides the
environment for industrial relations;
• industrial relations are characterised by both conflict and co-
operation. This is the basis of adverse relationship. So, the focus of
industrial relations is on the study of the attitudes, relationships,
practices, and procedures developed by the contending parties to
resolve or at least minimise conflicts;
• as the labour and management do not operate in isolation but are
part of large system. So the study of industrial relations also
includes vital environmental issues like technology of the workplace,
country’s socio-economic and political environment, nation’s labour
policy, attitude of trade union, workers and employers;
 Contd…
• industrial relations also involve the study of
conditions conducive to the labour, management
co-operation as well as the practices, and
procedures required to elicit the desired co-
operation from both the parties; and
• industrial relations also study the laws, rules,
regulations, agreements, awards of court,
customs and traditions as well as the policy
framework laid down by the government for
eliciting co-operation between labour and
management. Besides, it makes an in-
EVOLUTION OF INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
 Primitive Stage
• Necessities of life were simple and few
• Very little specialisation in work except on
the basis of gender
• Production was just sufficient for
consumption
• Authority exercised by elderly people
• Communication face to face
 Agragian Economy Stage
• Developed during the middle ages
• Brought about a change in the views on
property.
• Employer and Employees relationship was
that of master-servant/slave type.
• Levels of supervision were few.
• Government did not have any power to
intervene.
 Serfdom Stage
• Developed during the Feudal Society
• Position of serfs were not better than slaves.
• Their duties and obligations were defined largely
in terms of quantities of produce they must give
to the master.
• They were of limited intellect, ignorant, depraved
and were without personal ethics so were
subject to complete domination.
 Handicrafts Stage
• Developed because of the growth of town and
cities, increase in trade and commerce.
• This system introduced an important innovation
in the careers of workers
• Workers/craftsmen owned factors of production.
• They sold their products directly to customers
• Some type of specialisation of work was found
• Some young men start their careers as
apprentices and were bound to work for master
craftsmen for specified time during which they
could learn.
 Contd…
• Got no wages except lodging and
boarding facilities.
• Only one or two levels of supervision were
involved.
• Master craftsmen held highest status
• Concept of crafts guilds.
 Cottage or Putting out Stage
• Due to development of economic system,
and that of the steam and power, some
individuals became employees in new
industrial units
• Traveling traders or Trading Capitalist
undertook to buy raw-materials and supply
these as well as finances to the craftsmen
• System of cottage and putting out
Factory or the Industrial Capitalism
• In this economies in production could only
be achieved from newly perfected
machines
• Cottage workers became factory hands
• Large number of peoples worked under
the same roof and this made it possible to
supervise them more closely.
 Contd….
• With factory system human labour replaced by
machines.
• System of industrial revolution emerged.
• Under it women and child labour were employed
for a long period of time
• Machinery simplified production operations
• Reduce skill requirements
• Deteriorate living and working conditions,
housing accommodation became adequate
 Contd…
• Increased specialization strict discipline
was maintained during the process of
production
• Workers were economically dependent on
employers.
• Employers owned all means of production
and law of demand and supply determines
the price of labour.
 Contd…
• Human element in productive process
disappeared.
• Employer produced goods with the sole
aim of selling them at profit.
• Workers were involved in productive
processes solely to satisfy his dire
economic needs.
CHARATERISTICS OF INDIAN
LABOUR
 Social Composition of Labour
• Earlier the labour force in factories, mines and
plantations was generally provided by the lowest
castes, depressed classes and unfortunates in
society.
• Social mobility accounts for the emergence of
mixed workforce.
• Old social barriers have broken down.
• Old distaste among the high class people for
manual work is gradually vanishing.
• Development of sense of equality among
workers and supervisory.
Gender Composition of Workers
• Women workers are taken in both skilled and
semi-skilled work both at upper-middle classes
and middle classes.
• Economic compulsion and desire to possess
extra good for their families
• Legislations to encourage equal opportunity of
participation in work covers mainly three broad
characteristics, namely, Employment, Equal
wage payment and Health and Safety.
 Emergence of Tribal Labour
• Tribal labour has emerged in a sizeable
proportion to industrial labour.
• With the transfer of factories in tribal areas,
uprooted families wanted their young ones to be
absorbed in industries.
• These tribals can now been seen working side
by side with others in the mining areas, iron and
steel industry and in unorganised industries
such as construction etc.
 Heterogeneity of Labour Class
• Indian labour is sharply divided into high
class-low class, skilled-unskilled, hindu-
muslim-bengali-gujrati, south Indian-north
Indian etc.
• Consequently, a favourable climate could
not be found for collective bargaining.
 High Rate of Absenteeism and
Labour Turnover
• Indian workers are in the habit of
abstaining from work and have a greater
tendency to change their jobs.
• The absence from jobs may be authorised
and unauthorised.
• The main reason for absence from jobs is
social and religious causes besides other
reason such as sickness, accidents or
maternity.
 Contd...
• Absenteeism with pay is high as compared
to without pay.
• It is highest in textiles industry followed by
engineering, plantation.
• Labour Turnover includes both accession
and separation.
Labour/Employee Commitment
• Commitment can be classified into 4
categories, namely, Uncommitted Worker,
Partially Committed or Semi-Committed
Worker; Generally Committed Worker;
Specifically Committed Worker.
 Contd…
• Highly Committed employees means: person
has a strong desire to remain in a particular
organisation, a belief in and acceptance of goals
and values of organisation and a willingness to
exert high level of performance to achieve the
mission of organisation.
• Employee commitment focuses attention on the
extent to which an employee identifies with
organisational goals, value organisational
membership and intends to work hard, to attain
overall organisational mission.
 Contd…
• Earlier employee commitment in India was high due to
the high rate of absenteeism which is due to their
permanent linkage with village.
• But now the as the village nexus has ceased to operate
so it cannot be a correct indicator to measure the
employee commitment.
• Now the signs of the growth of a permanent industrial
population has started improving among workers from
lower castes and landless agricultural labourers.
• The conditions in industrial areas-housing conditions,
wages, conditions of work and living and welfare
measures and other facilities should be improved so that
the causes which compel the workers to go back to
villages are controlled and eliminated.
 Migratory Character
• Majority of the workers are of migratory
character in India due to their connections with
their rural homes.
• Main causes of city-ward migration of the rural
people are increasing pressure of population on
land, increasing number of landless agricultural
labourers forced to earn their livelihood
elsewhere, ill-treatment by high caste people of
scheduled castes and other depressed, family
quarrels and worries, indebtedness of the
people.
 Contd…
• Migration of workers from rural areas to urban
areas in most cases is of a temporary nature.
• Evil Effects of Migration: Different environment,
Health Problem, Dangers of Sickness and
Disease, Unhealthy Growth of Trade Unions,
frequent visits leads to lack of cooperation
between mgt. and worker, continual turnover,
problems of industrialization.
CHARACTERISTICS OF
INDIAN INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
 •Employer/Management in
Retrospect and Historically used
to Consider Trade Unions as a
Necessary Evil of the Industrial
System
 •The Trade Unions perceive
their Main Task is to Challenge
and Oppose Decision of
Employer/Management
•Trade Unions are Poorly
Organised in the Country
 •The Parties are Largely in
Disagreement over the Scope of
Collective Bargaining and
Various issues to their
Negotiation Process
•Bargaining between Employers
and Unions involves multiple
agreements
The Employers are Highly
Organsied