CS Final :: Human Resource Management and INdustrial Relations : December 2004

Hindustan Cycles Ltd. has established a new factory at Noida (U.P.) for manufacturing designer bicycles for specific consumer segments like sportsmen, kids, etc. Plenty of labour, electricity, water and other infrastructure already exist at the plant site. Kishore, the Managing Director, has appointed you as the Company Secretary-cum-vice-president (HR). Initially, four chief engineers for plastic, mechanical, electrical and estates departments and forty engineers are to be recruited in addition to managers, officers, supervisors, workmen and staff. They are to be professionally managed keeping in view of legal requirements and the fast changing economic scenario.
With the help of diagrams, briefly work out a selection and appraisal programme clearly mentioning principles and steps involved therein.

“The focus of human resources development is essentially to evaluate people to self-actualise through a systematic process of developing their existing potentials and creating new ones.” Comment.

Labour turnover index
Career planning versus career orientation
Employees’ stock option scheme (ESOS)
Work-load analysis
Principles of fringe benefits.

Write a brief note on the problems encountered by an organization in human resource planning.

339

Read the case given below and answer the questions at the end, citing relevant case law, if any :
The employees of Dhanwantari Pharmaceuticals Ltd. started work to rule, go slow and other covert agitational methods on the ground that the management had unilaterally revised upward the prices of canteen items like masala-dosa, jalebi, pau-bhaji, etc., without consulting the canteen committee. The management’s view was that since the recognised union’s registration was cancelled due to non- submission of returns, the management was under no obligation to consult the employees union. The personnel manager, Mrs. Neena had impressed upon the top management that the canteen committee comprised employees’ representatives of the de-recognised union and was no longer a representative body. So, the management constituted another canteen committee with nominees of employees from another registered but not-recognised union in the same company. The management requested the unions to sort out the matter through negotiations. However, one day, the striking workers stoned the company’s laboratory killing Rajeev, the personnel officer. The incident was reported to the police and labour authorities. This added fuel to the fire. Under orders of the managing director, the personnel manager, Mrs. Neena, applied to the appropriate authority to allow them to declare a lock out for protecting company property and personnel. She also insisted that as per certified standing orders, no employee is to be allowed to enter into the factory premises unless the workers signed a ‘good conduct’ certificate. Some workers agreed to sign it. But, many others refused calling it unfair. They asked workers willing to sign the ‘good conduct’ certificate and work, not to do so failing which they will have to face dire consequences. All claimed wages for the strike period.
Now —

Did the management or the workers resort to ‘unfair labour practice’ ?

Was the management right in treating the recognition of the union as cancelled when its registration stood cancelled due to technical reasons, and constituting another canteen committee with nominees of the other union which was registered but not recognised ?

339

The wives of three workmen employed in a textile factory work in place of their husbands from 7.00 PM to 8.00 PM every day while the husbands take meals brought from home. Is it permissible under the Factories Act, 1948 ?

What are establishments which are required to be registered under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 ?

Anubhav Ltd. is engaged in the business of erection and commissioning of electric lifts in high rise buildings. The company recruits some technicians. They are deputed to another site after the work at a particular site is over. Does the termination of such workmen on the grounds of completion of a project would fall within the meaning of ‘retrenchment’ under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 ?

Briefly describe the entitlement to benefits to employees under the voluntary retirement scheme (VRS).

Shree Mahila Shawl Udyog, Manali (H.P.) employing 60 weavers in its factory, pays wages @ Rs.1200 per month to each worker for 30 days of 10 hours daily working, including one hour lunch break. This is as per minimum wage rate fixed by the competent authority for this industry.

On 30th October, 2004, due to whole day long surprise inspection of the factory by inspectors, the workers could weave shawls only for 2 hours, viz., 6.00 PM to 8.00 PM though they had come for work at 10.00 AM as usual.
How much wages should Mrs. Uma, the personnel manager, pay to the workers for 30th October, 2004 ?