(1.) The present writ petition has been filed by the Petitioner under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India praying to quash the reference order dated 05.09.2007 passed by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Labour, under the provisions of Section 7B of Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act").
(2.) The facts of the case are that there was a dispute concerning about the termination of more than two hundred of shop managers between the Petitioners and the Respondent No. 2, i.e., All India Bata Shop Managers Union. On 15.06.2007, the president of Respondent No. 2 wrote a letter addressed to the Chief Labour Commissioner asking him to refer the dispute to a National Tribunal. Thereafter, the Respondent No. 1 passed the order dated 05.09.2007 and constituted a National Tribunal for Adjudication of the dispute with its headquarter at Kolkata. The said order reads as under:
(3.) In the reference order, the Government has constituted a National Tribunal for deciding termination cases of All India Bata Shop Managers. The reference was made under the provision of Section 7B(1) of the Act.