Policy Note 2005 - 06, Labour & Employment Department, Tamil Nadu, India

One of the most important contributors to economic activity is Labour. The Labour Policy of the Government seeks growth and development of the Industry and the individual worker who also contributes to the success of the industry. The Policy recognizes that harmonious relations between labour and management are needed to maximize production and speed up economic growth. The Policy takes note of the fact that the workers in the unorganized sector constitute the majority of the work force and they play a major role in the economic development of the country. The problems faced by them are many, complex and peculiar. The Policy also aims at strengthening of institutional arrangements for welfare and social security of labour force.

The Labour and Employment Department is administering matters relating to Industrial relations, Safety of workers, Labour Welfare, Employment Exchanges and Technical training. The Commissioner of Labour looks after Industrial Relations and Labour Welfare. The Chief Inspector of Factories deals with safety in Factories. The Commissioner of Employment & Training heads two wings. The Employment Wing deals with Employment Services through a network of Employment Exchanges. The Training Wing deals with technical training through a number of Industrial Training Institutes and similar institutions. Social security is provided in a large measure, by two Central Organisations viz. The Employees Provident Fund Organisation and the Employees State Insurance Corporation. The State Labour Welfare Board provides welfare services to workers in the organised sector. The Tamil Nadu Construction Workers welfare Board, and the Tamil Nadu Manual Workers Social Security and Welfare Board provide Welfare Services to workers in the unorganised sector. The Tamil Nadu Institute of Labour Studies conducts courses in Labour Management and also special courses for managements, workers and officials on labour laws. The Overseas Manpower Corporation helps to find placements for workers willing to work overseas. Abolition of Child Labour is an important goal of the State Government. All these aspects are dealt with in the subsequent chapters.

Sl.No.	Details of the Scheme	Expenditure (Rs. in Lakhs)
1.	Secretariat, Labour and Employment Purchase of one photo copier machine	0.57
2.	Computerisation of Labour and Employment Department	10.00
3.	Commissionerate of Labour E-Governance in the Commissionerate of Labour (Software & Hardware, Laptop, LCD Projector)	75.00
4.	Provision of EPABX System in the Head Office	1.98
5.	Provision of Telephones to Conciliation and Enforcement Officers of the Department.	0.53
6.	Provision of separate Telephone connection with STD facility to the FAX Machines in the Department	0.19
7.	Provision of Furniture to the eleven newly created and redeployed Offices in the Department.	2.00
8.	Commissionerate of Employment and Training Employment Wing. Upgradation of Computer system in 8 Employment Exchanges		24.00
9.	Establishment of Local Area Network in Commissionerate of Employment .		4.00
10.	Training Wing Provision of computers and photo copier machines to 5 Regional Offices.		10.00
11.	Computers to 20 Government Industrial Training Institute / Rural Industrial Training Cerntres		20.00
12.	a) Starting of Craftsman Food Production (General Trade at Basic Training Centre (BTC), Ambattur and 6 ITIs under Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS). b) Starting of Litho Offset Machine Minder trade at Government. I.T.I. Guindy by diversification . c) Starting of Digital Photographer trade by diversification of existing trades at Govt. I.T.I. Guindy and Madurai. d) Starting of I.T. & ESM trade at Govt. I.T.I. (Women) Guindy by diversification . e) Starting of Driver-cum -Mechanic (LMV) in 7 Government I.T.Is by diversification. f) Starting of Textile design related trades.		100.00

13.	Purchase of tools and equipments a) Purchase of additional tools to the trade Instrument Mechanic (Chemical Plant) at Govt. ITI, Tuticorin. b) Purchase of additional tools and equipments for the newly designated trade Mechanic Machine Tool Maintenance at Govt. I.T.Is , Ambathur, Coimbatore & Madurai. c) Purchase of additional tools and equipments for the trade Draughtsman (Mechanical) and Draughtsman (Civil) in 11 Govt. Industrial Training Institutes. d) Purchase of additional tools as per the revised syllabus for the trade instrument Mechanic in Eleven I.T.I.s. e) Purchase of additional tools to the trade stenography in 12 I.T.Is., f) Purchase of additional tools for the trade Welder in 30 I.T.I.s, g) Purchase of deficient tools to the trade Bleaching, Dyeing and Calico Printing at Govt. ITI, Erode. h) Purchase of deficient tools for various trades as pointed out by the Standing Committee.	500.00
14.	Renovation of Government ITI buildings	100.00
15.	Chief Inspectorate of Factories Renovation and maintenance of the office of the Chief Inspectorate of Factories located in the 200 years old building.	8.00
16.	Provision of 5 numbers of safety kit for the use of Inspecting Officers to the regular divisions of Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories.	10.00
17.	E-Governance in the Inspectorate of Factories	10.00
18.	Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services (E.S.I.) Computerisation of the department	10.00
19.	Procurement of equipments to ESI Hospitals and Dispensaries	50.00
20.	Provision of EPABX system in ESI Hospital, Tiruchy with 3 telephone lines.	3.15
21.	Provision of one Photo Copier machine to 8 ESI Hospitals and 4 Regional Administrative Medical Officer's office.	5.00
Total		944.42

1.1 Sound and responsible labour behaviour and an enlightened and progressive management are the pre requisites for good industrial relations. By strengthening the good relationship between labour and management, the Labour Department creates an atmosphere for achieving the objective of growth and prosperity. The officers of the Labour Department achieve this important task through a delicate mechanism of intervention at the appropriate time to conciliate and settle industrial disputes that may upset production. Officers of the Labour Department have effectively intervened and settled strikes and lockouts.

During the year 2004, there was an appreciable decline in the loss of man days due to strikes and lock-outs when compared with the year 2003, as follows:-

A majority of the lock-outs were due to financial problems and not due to labour disputes. The total number of strikes and lock-outs settled during the year were 56 and 28 respectively.

1.2 During the year 2004, 7543 disputes were settled out of a total of 9315 which include those raised during this period and in the previous year.

1.3 During the year 2004, the officials of Labour Department carefully handled the disputes relating to bonus. As a result, most of the issues relating to bonus were solved amicably in the minimum possible time and the bonus period went off peacefully.

1.4 In G.O.(D) No. 133, Labour and Employment dated 12.02.2002, the Government have constituted a Tripartite Committee at District Level to find out the possibility of reopening closed industrial units. The Chairman of the Committee is the Collector of the District. The concerned Labour Officer is the Member-Secretary. Members of Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament of the District and three representatives each of employers and employees are the other members. This committee has to meet once in three months to discuss cases of closed units in the district.

1.5 A Special Industrial Tribunal has been constituted by the Government to hear and decide cases relating to wage increase and general demands of the Textile workers.

The Government have also referred the dispute relating to reduction in daily wages of plantation workers and other service conditions involving increase in workload raised by Plantation managements to the Special Industrial Tribunal for early disposal.

1.6 Head Office, Welfare Boards and other District offices have been computerized . Networking is being done to connect all the systems in Head office. During 2004-2005, a sum of Rs.10 lakhs was sanctioned in Part-II Scheme for the purchase of new Computers for this Department. A separate Website for the Labour Department has been created. This Website consists of Labour related information such as Government Orders of Minimum Wages, Payment of Wages, etc., and the activities of all Welfare Boards and Tamilnadu Institute of Labour Studies.

1.7 Labour Courts adjudicate on matters specified in the Second Schedule to the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. There are 10 Labour Courts in the State.

1.8 There is also an Industrial Tribunal with its Head quarters at Chennai. The Industrial Tribunal can adjudicate on matters specified in the Second and Third Schedule to the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.