Collective agreements are beneficial for maintaining industrial peace in the country. The collective agreements made in the settlement of industrial disputes provide more permanent solutions to both employers and employees. Further collective agreements make an avenue for the employees to enjoy more rights and privileges than the same endured by labour laws.
Total no. of collective agreements in force as at 31.12..2019 – 133
Total no. of collective agreements in force as at 30.09.2020 – 148
The main objective of Arbitration and Industrial Court is to make settlements for industrial disputes and accordingly necessary awards are given by an Arbitrator or Industrial Court after examining the disputes. Disputes not settled with the activities of the Industrial Relations Division or Labour Offices of the Department of Labour are referred to Arbitration or Industrial Court. In the year 2020,
No. referred for compulsory arbitration- 55
No. of awards issued – 22
Formulating policies, standards and conditions of work, giving legal effect thereto and monitoring their implementation in order to ensure the welfare and job security of the workers employed in the private sector are ongoing processes of the Department of Labour. Accordingly, the following activities have been conducted in the year 2020.
Resolving complaints on the violation of statutory provisions and settlement of industrial disputes
Complaints regarding the violation of statutory laws and potential breaches in industrial peace and the possibility of strikes are lodged with the head office, district offices and sub offices of the Department of Labour by employees and various other parties and action is pursued by the relevant offices to resolve such complaints. If their attempts failed, the dispute is referred to an arbitrator or an industrial court for a solution on the order of the Minister in charge of the subject. Details of the complaints received during the period of Covid – 19 and settled from April to September 2020 is as follows;
