Hello,
Forget the consultant.
You can handle the matter yourself.
Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 is a central legislation and applies to the whole country. It applies to industrial establishments that employ or employed, in Maharashtra 50 workmen on any day in the previous twelve months. In Nioda you should check this figure from the labour office of the government but I feel the figure will not be more that 100 workmen.
The purpose of this law is "to provide for rules defining with sufficient precision certain conditions of employment in industrial establishments"
Apart from other things it provides the matters on which rules must be made. The law gives you the fredom to make your own rules on all prescribed subjects and get the same "certified" by the Certifying Officer under the Act. But to make matters simple the act also provides, Model Standing Orders" that are automatically applicable and binding till y a due process they are amended.
In my fairly long experience, these are quite adequate for the purposes of dealing with workmen. All that one has to do is to read the bare act critically and act as guided by the act.
Honestly if you make an attempt to read this legislation, you will also realize that you do not need a "consultant" for this purpose and certainly not at this high a price!! For other acts and purposes hiring a consultant may be considered and even worthwhile, but speaking for myself I never liked to depend on any consultant while I was working. We need them, they are a great help because of their experience but generally you should pay by use and try to be self reliant in matters where you are qualified. Hiring a lawyer is a different matter.
I am a practicing consultant in IR and HR and am NOT soliciting work, because I want all professionals to be independent and self reliant! Apparently I work against my own interests but I will not put profession above the monetary gains!
Please make a little effort and you will find that you can handle the issues yourself. If you need help, the forum is always available anyway!!
Regards
samvedan
January 16, 2008