Views of Second National Labour Commission.

                                   (Govt is yet to accept these Views)

6. 59 we strongly believe in the role that bilateral interaction, dialogue and negotiations can play in promoting harmonious industrial relations. In a sense, bilateralism is the recognition of the stake that workers and the management have in the viability and success of the undertaking. Our Trade Union movement today is fragmented. Everyone talks of the value of unity, the imperative need of unity today, but in practice, hardly anyone seems to be willing to give up separate identities. One of the ways to strengthen the incentives for consolidation can lie in the field of registration and recognition, where the criteria for eligibility can be upgraded or at least proportionately upgraded.

6.60 Every one admits that the existing multiplicity of unions weakens the Trade Union movement; but everyone becomes wary when specific steps are suggested to reduce multiplicity.

6.63 This would result in a reduction in the number of unions contending to be the negotiating agent. From among those in the panel anyone who has 66% may be recognized as the single negotiating agent. If no one has 66%, one alternative is to have a run off between the two unions at the top of the table, in which all workers in the undertaking may participate, and whichever secures 66% may be accepted as a single negotiating agent.

6.64 The third suggestion was that wherever no union secures 66%, there should be a negotiating agency or negotiating college which has proportionate representation for the unions in the panel. (Emphasis is ours)

6.65 The Commission feels that all these proposals need to be discussed further with the trade unions, and perhaps managements and they should be persuaded to accept any method that reduces or eliminates multiplicity, which is another description of a state of fragmentation.

6.66 If either of these is not acceptable, we fall back on the suggestion that the negotiating agent should be selected for recognition on the basis of the check off system, with 66% entitling the union to be accepted as the single negotiating agent, and if no union has 66% support, then unions that have the support of more than 25% should be given proportionate representation on the college