WORKMEN OF HINDUSTAN TELEPRINTERS Vs. HINDUSTAN TELEPRINTERS LTD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) W. A. No. 303 [1977 : This appeal is directed against the order of Mohan, J. in Writ Petition No. 1796 of 1976 allowing the same and directing the Industrial. Tribunal, Madras, to dispose of the matter before it afresh.

(2.) THE management of Hindustan Teleprinters Limited was paying a conveyance allowance of Rs. 60 per month to those employees who drew Rs. 400 and above as basic pay provided they owned two wheeled power driven vehicles, For those whose basic salary exceeded Rs. 750 per month, the Management paid a conveyance allowance of Rs. 150 per month provided they owned a car. The Management, however did not pay any conveyance allowance to those of its employees drawing a basic salary of less than Rs. 400. The workmen of the Hindustan Teleprinters Limited made a demand on the Management demanding a similar conveyance allowance for the employees receiving basic salary of less than Rs. 400. As the Management did not accede to their demand, they raised an industrial dispute. That dispute along with the other disputes was referred to the Industrial Tribunal, and the reference was number as industrial dispute No. 28 of 1973. The relevant issue that was referred is al follows :

(3.) IN the claim petition filed before the Industrial Tribunal, the workmen contended that while the Management was paying a conveyance allowance of Rs. 60 per month to those drawing a basic salary of Rs. 400, and a sum of Rs. 150 per month as conveyance allowance for those who received a basic salary of more than Rs. 750 they are not paying any conveyance allowance for those getting a basic salary of less than Rs. 400 that is an unfair labour practice, and, therefore a similar conveyance allowance should also be granted in favour of the employees drawing less than Rs. 400 with effect form July 1, 1971.