(1.) The above Writ Petitions are cross Petitions. Writ Petition No.199 of 2008 is filed by Goa Shipyard Limited through its Chairman and Managing Director, and Writ Petition No.664 of 2008 is filed by 19 workmen employed (the 19 workmen for short) with the Goa Shipyard Limited through their association. Both the Petitions take exception to the Award of the Industrial Tribunal/Labour Court-I, Panaji Goa dated 26/10/2007. In so far as Writ Petition No.199 of 2008 is concerned, the challenge by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL for short) is to the Award to the extent it grants the benefits of the pay-scales recommended by the Justice Mohan Committee Report (JMCR for short) with effect from 01/01/2007, and in so far as Writ Petition No.664 of 2008 is concerned, the challenge by the 19 workmen is to the Award to the extent it denies the benefits of the pay-scale under the JMCR from the day they came into force i.e. 01/04/1998.
(2.) The factual matrix involved in the above Petitions can be stated thus:-
(3.) It would be relevant at this stage to refer to the scope of the Justice Mohan Pay Committee. The Government of India had constituted the said Committee under the Honourable Mr.Justice Mohan in order to bring parity in pay structures and uniformity in pay scales in public sectors. The said Committee accordingly submitted its report where under it recommended revision of pay-scales to non-unionized supervisory staff. In the context of the present Petitions, the following pay scales are relevant:-