Industrial Relations and Labour Laws

Meaning, nature, scope, and importance of industrial relations; objectives of industrial relations; parties to industrial relations: employers, employees, trade unions, and government; factors affecting industrial relations; approaches to industrial relations; impact of technology and changing workplace practices on industrial relations; industrial relations in the Indian context.

Trade unions: meaning, objectives, functions, and structure; growth of trade union movement in India; rights and responsibilities of trade unions; challenges faced by trade unions; workers’ participation in management: concept, objectives, forms, and benefits.

Collective bargaining: concept, importance, principles, and process; prerequisites for successful collective bargaining; collective agreements; labour-management cooperation; grievance management: meaning, causes, effects, and grievance redressal procedure; negotiation and conflict management in organizations.

Industrial disputes: meaning, causes, and types; strikes and lockouts; layoff and retrenchment; machinery for settlement of industrial disputes; conciliation, arbitration, and adjudication; labour courts and industrial tribunals; measures for promoting industrial peace and harmony.

Objectives and importance of labour legislation; overview of Factories Act, Payment of Wages Act, Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Bonus Act, Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act, Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) Act, Payment of Gratuity Act with its latest updates.