PHDCCI for collective bargaining rights to Govt employees

New Delhi, July 24 (UNI) Collective bargaining will do away with the need of Pay Commissions, industry association PHDCCI, which had strongly reacted to the reports about setting up of Sixth Pay Commission, today said.

According to PHDCCI, across the board, any hike in salary is unjustified and incentive structures should be in accordance with performance and efficiency. Trade unions too have supported this, but have argued that this is possible only when collective bargaining for the government employees is allowed, which is presently not permitted under the existing laws.

Government employees do not come under the purview of either Trade Union Act or the Industrial Dispute Act. Rule 7 of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, prohibits the right of government employees to strike. It effectively means that government employees do not have collective bargaining power which is available to workmen in other industries and in the private sector.

PHDCCI feels that the government employees should be given collective bargaining rights. ''This will help them argue for wage hike in accordance with their performance and calibre and they can actively negotiate with the government as a matter of right.'' The government should facilitate collective bargaining rights by amending the Trade Union and the Industrial Dispute Acts, it said, and added that it will ensure that there would be no need for further pay commissions from time to time.

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