IR Module 6

Handling Employee Grievances

What is a grievance?

a type of discontent which must always be expressed. A grievance is

usually more formal in character than a complaint .It can be valid or
ridiculous , and must grow out of something connected with company
operations or policy. It can be valid or ridiculous , and must grow out of
something connected with company operations or policy. It must
involve an interpretation or application of the labour contract.

Grievances could be
1. Factual:
When legitimate needs of expectations or aspirations are
not fulfilled.
2. Imaginary
When the job contract is not clear cut and the employee
develops such needs ,which the organization is not
obliged to meet..
3. Disguised
When organizations only consider the basic requirements
of their employees, ignoring their psychological needs
(need for recognition, affection, power).

Why employee grievances require attention

Grievance situations often create a negative, nonproductive relationship between the supervisor
and the employee harbouring the grievance.
Skilled handling of the grievance process gives
supervisors and managers a greater skill to resolve
grievance issues within the workplace.

Why employee grievances require attention

1. May affect employee morale, productivity and willingness to
cooperate with the organization.
2. It is possible that all complaints may not be solved by the
immediate supervisor. The supervisors may not have proper
training or authority. There may be personality conflicts also.
3. Acts as a check on arbitrary actions of management.
4. Serves as an outlet for employee discontent and frustrationslike a pressure valve on a steam boiler.
5. The management has complete authority to operate the
business as it sees fit, but if the Trade Union or the
employees do not like the way the management functions ,
they can submit their grievance in the proper way.

Some Typical Causes of Grievances

1. Individual wage adjustments.
2. Incentive systems.
3. Job classification.
4. Complaints against a particular supervisor.
5. Regarding disciplinary measures.
6. General methods of supervision.
7. Interpretation of seniority rules.
8. Promotions.
9. Transfer to another establishment.
10. Inadequacy of safety or health services.
11. Non availability of materials on time.
12. Violations of collective bargaining.
13. Improper job assignments.
14. Undesirable conditions of work.

Grievance Procedure at Tata Steel

Key Elements of an ideal

Grievance Procedure
1. The existence of a sound channel through which a
grievance may pass for redressal if the previous stage or
channel has been found to be inadequate. This stage may
comprise three, four or five sub stages.
2. The procedure should be simple, definite and prompt.
3. The steps in handling a grievance should be clearly
defined. These should include:
-Receiving and defining the nature of the grievance.
-Getting at the relevant facts.
-Analyzing the facts.
-Deciding
-Communication the decisions.
4. Follow up to determine whether the issue has been closed
or not.

What are the legal provisions

1. Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act.

(Schedule .item 10.Means of redress for workmen
against unfair treatment )

2. Industrial Disputes Act

(Section 9C .Setting up of Grievance Settlement
Authorities And reference of certain individual
disputes to such authorities for Establishment with
50 Or more workmen)

3. Factories Act
(Labour Welfare Officer for factories employing
500 or more workmen).

Handling Grievances Case

In a manufacturing unit, whenever a workman acts temporarily
against higher skilled job he earns an acting allowance @ 10% of
his wages. In a particular shop Babulal, an Assistant Electrician, has
been acting continuously for the last 6 months against the position
of Electrician, which had fallen vacant as the previous incumbent
had migrated to the Gulf.
As per established practice, in the normal course, the vacancy
should have been notified for filling up through internal promotion.
In case of such a notification Babulal, by virtue of his acting
experience would have automatically qualified for up gradation.
However, Sudarshan, the Head of Electrical Department, prefers to
continue with the current arrangement and, for reasons best known
to him, refuses to notify the vacancy.
Today on the advice of the HR Department , Sudarshan is holding a
Grievance Interview with Babulal.

Critique the meeting as it went

1. As he begins the meeting, Sudarshan apologizes

saying that he can only stay for 15 minutes because he
has been called to an emergency meeting with Plant
manager.
2. Ten minutes into the meeting, Sudarshan says that he
would rather discuss the problem with Shivakumar in
private.
3. Sudarshan ends the meeting by asking for an
extension to provide his written response.
4. Sudarshan opens the meeting by saying that he would
prefer it if all of Babulals arguments are listed in
writing and he will respond after the meeting in writing.
She is not prepared today to engage in a conversation
about the case.

Metrics to track the effectiveness of Grievance

Management
Test questions: (Pigors & Myers)
1. Was the case handled in such a way that the parties involved
in it were able to identify, and agree upon what was at stake?
2. Was the incident closed with a sense of satisfaction on the
part of everyone immediately involved in the original
complaint?
3. Was the case handled in a way that strengthened the line
authority, especially at the level immediately above that at
which the dissatisfaction was first expressed?
4. Did the solution result in a better understanding and a better
adjustment between the supervisor and his subordinate?
5. Was there any speed of understanding and a better judgment
between the supervisor and his subordinate?
6. Was there any spread of understanding, as a result of this
case , to others in the management and in the union who were
not directly involved in the original complaint?
7. Did the solution contribute to operational efficiency?