TNAG-0127-FCO40-163-Illegal-strikes-and-lockouts-ordinance-1969 — Page 63

The power of the Left Wing Unions in the public utility services has been largely broken and any early industrial dispute in these services leading to a stoppage of

work initiated by a trade union would seem unlikely. Spontaneous stoppages caused by some specific grievance, or a further attempt at creating widespread strikes for political motives would seem more likely possibilities. No legislation could deal effectively with the latter and the banning of strikes under penalty in the case of the former, without effective arrangements for dealing with grievances, would contribute little to industrial peace.

a parallel exists in Kat/India's

I

It may be argued that/India's recent

customs

Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1968, which gives the Government of India power to prohibit strikes in the essential services which include post, telegraph and telephones; rail, air, port and other transport; mint and security printing; defence establish- ments; and any other service in connection with matters in respect of which Parliament has legislative powers. It must be noted, however, that there already exist in these services joint consultative machinery and me

Regester wit

compulsory arbitration and a firmly

established tradition of trade union

representation and collective bargaining;

notwithstanding this, an assurance was given to Gant of Juding t

that modified and improved negotiating and

arbitration machinery would be introduced by

May

legislation.

15.

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