COLLECTIVE BARGAINING POWER: UNION AND MANAGEMENT

Collective Bargaining refers to a process by which employers on the one hand and representatives of the employees on the other attempt to arrive at agreements covering the conditions under which employees will contribute and be compensated for their services. Collective bargaining is concerned with the relations between trade unions & management. Bargaining is collective because chosen representatives of labour & management acts as bargaining agents. Collective bargaining was introduced in India for the first time in 1952; collective bargaining in India grew on par with the growth of Trade Unionism. Collective Bargaining arrangements for the first time were made at Ahmadabad Cotton Textile Industry. The main purpose of the arrangements was regulation of management and labour relationships. Only after independence, there was considerable growth in Collective Bargaining. Trade Unions gained importance after independence. From management's side, there emerged a new class of managers, who saw labour with sympathy and understanding. Another flow of collective bargaining process in India is that it is mostly used for basic monetary benefits. In recent years, collective bargaining is gaining momentum. A study of the various agreements entered into India between employers and employees has brought to light certain trends in collective bargaining. Agreements are mostly unit-wise, though some are industry-wise. The scope of the agreements has been widening and now includes matters relating to bonus, productivity, modernisation, standing orders, voluntary arbitration, incentive schemes, and job evaluation. Long-term agreements, covering a period which ranges between 2 years and 5 years, are on the increase. The number of agreements entered into each year has been on the increase. Joint consultation in various forms has been provided for in a number of agreements and collective bargaining has proved to be feasible and effective. Though, collective bargaining has grown in India due to the statutory provisions, voluntary measures. Industrial Truce Resolution of 1962 and the amendments to the Industrial Disputes Act 1947, its success is