CASE COMMENTRY: WORKMEN OF INDIAN EXPRESS (P) LTD. VS THE MANAGEMENT

AUTHOR- PRANAV BHASKAR, STUDENT AT SCHOOL OF LAW, PRESIDENCY UNIVERSITY

BEST CITATION – PRANAV BHASKAR, CASE COMMENTRY: WORKMEN OF INDIAN EXPRESS (P) LTD. VS THE MANAGEMENT, ILE LEX SPECULUM (ILE LS), 1 (1) OF 2023, PG. 503-507, APIS – 3920 – 0036 | ISBN – 978-81-964391-3-2.

Abstract

The case of Gulab Singh and Satya Pal vs. Indian Express newspaper is a landmark legal battle in India’s industrial relations landscape. The dispute revolves around two workmen claiming to have been performing proof-reader duties but not being acknowledged as such by the company. Despite official orders mentioning them as copy holders, they were reportedly assigned tasks of proof-readers, leading to a dispute between them and the management. The Delhi Union of Journalists and the Delhi Administration referred the matter to the Industrial Tribunal in Delhi to resolve the dispute. The central issues addressed by the court include the jurisdiction of the tribunal, the espousal of disputes by trade unions, and the recognition of individual workmen’s grievances as industrial disputes. The court examines the evidence, including minutes of meetings and union resolutions, to determine whether the union effectively espoused the workmen’s dispute and whether a union representing workmen from various establishments can sponsor individual workmen’s causes. The judgment sets significant precedents in recognizing individual disputes as industrial disputes and upholding the role of unions in representing the interests of workmen. The case highlights the importance of providing a fair and efficient mechanism to resolve labor disputes and protect the rights of workers in the context of India’s industrial relations framework.