Unions' row in power firms: HC refers dispute to ID Tribunal

Delhi State Electricity Workers Union (DSEWU) and Delhi Vidyut Karmchari Union (DVKU) have been fighting a legal battle with each other and with firms for getting declared as the workers' representative body in five successor power firms of erstwhile PSU Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB).

One of the bone of contentions in the legal row was if a workers' union can be recognised "industry-wise or it has to be establishment (company) wise".

"When we look the aforesaid contrasting stands taken by the respective parties, we intend to agree with submissions of the respondents i.E. To find out as to whether industry-wise recognition is feasible or it has to be establishment-wise, can be gone into by the Industrial Tribunal by means of adjudication. The Industrial Disputes Act contemplates such mechanism to sort out such issues.

"Therefore, the issue whether establishment-wise recognition is to be given to the unions or it should be industry-wise, needs adjudication for which the appropriate forum would the Industrial Tribunal," a bench headed by Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri said and rejected the pleas of unions.

DVB was unbundled in 2002 into five firms: Indraprastha Power Generation Co Ltd (IPGCL) for power generation, Delhi Transco Ltd (DTL) for its transmission, and BSES Yamuna Power Ltd (BYPL), BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd (BRPL) and North Delhi Power Ltd (NDPL) for power distribution.

Two workers' unions of erstwhile DVB are seeking industry-wise recognition in successor firms on the ground that they pertained to one industry. (More)