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Whether an aggrieved workman of co-operative society can take remedy under the Industrial Disputes Act depends on the provisions of the Co-operative Societies Act of the respective States.
In the case of Smt. K.A. Annamma ….Appellant(s) VERSUS The Secretary, Cochin Co-operative Hospital Society Ltd. …Respondent(s) The Hon’ble Supreme Court has held while disposing the Civil Appeal No. 197 OF 2018 (Arising out of S.L.P.(C) No.29765 of 2016) as follows (Para 104. 105 and 106 of the Judgement)
104. We also hold that it is the choice of the Employee concerned to choose any one forum out of the two forums available to him/her under the two Acts (the KCS Act and the I.D. Act) to get his/her service dispute decided. It is, however, subject to satisfying the test laid down under the ID Act that the employee concerned is a “workman”, the dispute raised by him/her is an “industrial dispute” and the Co-operative Society (Employer) is an “Industry” as defined under the ID Act.
105. In the light of the aforesaid finding, all those cases, which have taken contrary view, stand overruled.
106. As a result of our conclusion, in our view, the Labour Court in this case was competent to decide the service dispute raised by the Employee (appellant herein) under the ID Act. The case is accordingly remanded to the writ Court to decide the respondent’s writ petition for examining the legality and correctness of the award of the Labour Court on merits in accordance with law.
A copy of the Judgement is attached herewith.
Regards
P.S.Lakshmanan
S. G. Management Services
Labour Law Compliance specialist
P F, ESI, P Tax, Benefit Management and
POSH COMPLIANCE (PAN INDIA)
Kolkata