Labour Code Industrial Relations Bill

THE INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CODE, 2019    A BILL      Nov 2019

(As per the arrangement of Clauses this bill is running to 75 pages)

Some Clauses of   the Bill

  (3) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint; and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Code and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Code shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision

1.    (zf) "strike" means a cessation of work by a body of persons employed in any industry acting in combination, or a concerted refusal, or a refusal, under a common understanding, of any number of persons who are or have been so employed to continue to work or to accept employment and includes the concerted casual leave on a given day by fifty per cent. or more workers employed in an industry;

2.    (zg) "Trade Union" means any combination, whether temporary or permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relations between workers and employers or between workers and workers, or between employers and employers, or for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business, and includes any federation of two or more Trade Unions:

CHAPTER III TRADE UNIONS

6. (1) Any seven or more members of a Trade Union may, by subscribing their names rules of the Trade Union and by otherwise complying with the provisions of this Code with respect to registration, apply for registration of the Trade Union under this Code.

 (2) No Trade Union of workers shall be registered unless at least ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, engaged or employed in the establishment or industry with which it is connected are the members of such Trade Union on the date of making of application for registration.

(4) A registered Trade Union of workers shall at all times continue to have not less than ten per cent. of the workers or one hundred workers, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of seven, engaged or employed in an establishment or industry with which it is connected, as its members

9. (4) Every Trade Union registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1926 having valid registration immediately before the commencement of this Code shall be deemed to have been registered under this Code: Provided that such Trade Union shall file with the Registrar a statement that the constitution of the executive of the Trade Union is in accordance with this Code along with the rules of the Trade Union updated in accordance with section 7, and the Registrar shall amend his records accordingly.

12. Every registered Trade Union shall be a body corporate by the name under which it is registered, and shall have perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire and hold both movable and immovable property and to contract, and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

14. (1) There shall be negotiating union or negotiating council, as the case may be, in an industrial establishment for negotiating with the employer of the industrial establishment, on such matters as may be prescribed.

 (2) Where only one Trade Union of workers registered under this Code is functioning in an industrial establishment, then, the employer of such industrial establishment shall recognise such Trade Union as sole negotiating union of the workers.

 (3) If more than one Trade Union of workers registered under this Code are functioning in an industrial establishment, then, the Trade Union having seventy-five per cent. or more workers on the muster roll of that industrial establishment, verified in such manner as may be prescribed, supporting that Trade Union shall be recognised by the appropriate Government or any officer authorised by such Government in this behalf, as the sole negotiating union of the workers.

(4) If more than one Trade Union of workers registered under this Code are functioning in an industrial establishment, and no such Trade Union has seventy-five per cent. or more of workers on the muster roll of that industrial establishment, verified in such manner as may be prescribed, supporting that Trade union, then, there shall be constituted by the appropriate Government or any officer authorised by such Government in this behalf, a negotiating council for negotiation on the matters referred to in sub-section (1), consisting of the representatives of such Trade Unions which have the support of not less than ten per cent. of the total workers on the muster roll of that industrial establishment so verified and such representation shall be of one representative for each ten per cent. of such total workers and in such calculation, the fraction of such ten per cent. shall not be taken into account.

20. Any person who has attained the age of fourteen years may be a member of a registered Trade Union subject to any rules of the Trade Union, and may, subject to as aforesaid enjoy all the rights of a member and execute all instruments and given all acquaintances necessary to be executed or given under the rules

23. (1) Not less than one-half of the total number of the office-bearers of every registered Trade Union in an unorganised sector shall be persons actually engaged or employed in an establishment or industry with which the Trade Union is connected: Provided that the appropriate Government may, by special or general order, declare that the provisions of this section shall not apply to any Trade Union or class of Trade Unions specified in the order.

24. (1) Any registered Trade Union may, with the consent of not less than two-third of the total number of its members and subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), change its name.

 (2) Any two or more registered Trade Unions may be amalgamated in such manner as may be prescribed

38. (1) Where any worker is suspended by the employer pending investigation or inquiry into complaints or charges of misconduct against him, such investigation or inquiry, or where there is an investigation followed by an inquiry, both the investigation and inquiry shall be completed ordinarily within a period of ninety days from the date of suspension.

 (2) The standing orders certified under sub-section (7) of section 30 or modified under section 35 shall provide that where a worker is suspended as referred to in sub-section (1), the employer in relation to an industrial establishment or undertaking shall pay to such worker employed in such establishment or undertaking subsistence allowance at the rates specified in sub-section (3) for the period during which such worker is placed under suspension pending investigation or inquiry into complaints or charges of misconduct against such worker.

(3) The amount of subsistence allowance payable under sub-section (2) shall be— (a) at the rate of fifty per cent. of the wages which the worker was entitled to immediately preceding the date of such suspension, for the first ninety days of suspension; and (b) at the rate of seventy-five per cent. of such wages for the remaining period of suspension, if the delay in the completion of disciplinary proceedings against such worker is not directly attributable to the conduct of such worker

CHAPTER VIII STRIKES AND LOCK-OUTS

62. (1) No person employed in an industrial establishment shall go on strike, in breach of contract— (a) without giving to the employer notice of strike, as hereinafter provided, within sixty days before striking; or

(b) within fourteen days of giving such notice; or

(c) before the expiry of the date of strike specified in any such notice; or

(d) during the pendency of any conciliation proceedings before a conciliation officer and seven days after the conclusion of such proceedings; or

 (e) during the pendency of proceedings before a Tribunal or a National Industrial Tribunal and sixty days, after the conclusion of such proceedings; or

 (f) during the pendency of arbitration proceedings before an arbitrator and sixty days after the conclusion of such proceedings, where a notification has been issued under sub-section (5) of section 42; or

(g) during any period in which a settlement or award is in operation, in respect of any of the matters covered by the settlement or award.

63. (1) A strike or lock-out shall be illegal, if it is— (i) commenced or declared in contravention of section 62; or

(ii) continued in contravention of an order made under sub- section (7) of section 42.

CHAPTER XIII OFFENCES AND PENALTIES

86. (7) If default is made on the part of any registered Trade Union in giving any notice or sending any statement or other document as required by or under any provisions of this Code, every office-bearer or other person bound by the rules of the Trade Union to give or send the same, or, if there is no such office-bearer or person, every member of the executive of the Trade Union, shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees, but which may extend to ten thousand rupees and any continuing default shall be punishable with an additional penalty of fifty rupees per day so long as the default continues.

(13) Any worker who commences, continues or otherwise acts in furtherance of a strike which is illegal under this Code, shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than one thousand rupees, but which may extend up to ten thousand rupees or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with both.

(15) Any person who instigates or incites others to take part in, or otherwise acts in furtherance of, a strike or lock-out which is illegal under this Code, shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than ten thousand rupees, but which may extend to fifty thousand rupees or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with both.

(16) Any person who knowingly spends or applies any money in direct furtherance or support of any illegal strike or lock-out shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than ten thousand rupees, but which may extend to fifty thousand rupees or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with both

CHAPTER XIV MISCELLANEOUS

93. (1) No person refusing to take part or to continue to take part in any strike or lock-out which is illegal under this Code shall, by reason of such refusal or by reason of any action taken by him under this section, be subject to expulsion from any Trade Union or society, or to any fine or penalty, or to deprivation of any right or benefit to which he or his legal representatives would otherwise be entitled, or be liable to be placed in any respect, either directly or indirectly, under any disability or at any disadvantage as compared with other members of the union or society, anything to the contrary in rules of a Trade Union or society notwithstanding

97. No civil court shall have jurisdiction in respect of any matter to which any provision of this Code applies and no injunction shall be granted by any civil court in respect of anything which is done or intended to be done by or under this Code.

98. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Code or any rules made thereunder.

99. (5) Every rule made under this section and notification issued under clause (m) of section 2, by the Central Government shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before each House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or notification, or both Houses agree that the rule or notification should not be made, the rule or notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under that rule or notification

101. (2) Every notification issued by the Central Government under sub-section (1) shall be laid as soon as may be after it is made before each House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification in the notification, or both Houses agree that the modification should not be made, the notification shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done in pursuance of that notification.

103. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Code, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Code as may appear to it to be necessary for removing the difficulty: Provided that no such order shall be made under this section after the expiry of a period of three years from the commencement of this Code.

 (2) Every order made under this section shall be laid before each House of Parliament.

104. (1) In the notification issued under sub-section (3) of section 1 for the commencement of any provision of this Code, the Central Government may specify that the provisions of — (a) the Trade Unions Act, 1926;

(b) the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act, 1946; and

(c) the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, shall stand repealed with effect from the date appointed in the notification in this behalf and the remaining provisions of the enactments referred to in clauses (a) to (c) shall remain in force till they are repealed by like notifications in the like manner.

 (2) Notwithstanding such repeal under sub-section (1), anything done or any action taken under the provisions of the enactments so repealed including any rule, regulation, notification, nomination, appointment, order or direction made thereunder shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Code and shall be in force to the extent they are not contrary to the provisions of this Code.