Understanding Employer-Employee Relations
In an industry, employers and employees have certain rights and obligations, which constitute the employer-employee relations. The way each party exercises its rights and discharges its obligations affects these relations. Employers demand more productivity, while employees seek better conditions of service. The chief factors affecting employer-employee relations are:
1. Productivity
2. Wages
3. Working hours
4. Employee welfare
5. Incentives
6. Discipline
7. Terminations
8. Compliance with statutory obligations prescribed for the welfare of employees.
It is essential to ensure that these factors do not lead to disputes and negatively impact employer-employee relations. The relations should always be harmonized. Therefore, various means, as described below, are devised to maintain harmony in employer-employee relations. Some of these means are supported by statute, while others are structured internally.
1. Grievance settlement machinery
2. Collective bargaining to discuss the charter of demands of the trade union and negotiate with them on the issues.
3. Settlements/agreements to resolve any difference or dispute
4. Disciplinary mechanism to ensure fairness to delinquent employees
5. Conciliation - involving the government in dispute settlements as provided under the I.D Act
6. Adjudication - resolving disputes through labor courts if conciliation fails, as provided under the I.D Act
7. Liaison with the government
Apart from the employer and the employee, the government is also responsible for ensuring that employees receive what is due under various labor statutes through inspection and scrutiny of the employer.
The entire responsibility of ensuring harmonious relations between the employer and the employee through various means/mechanisms as stated above falls under the function of industrial relations.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
B. Saikumar