Grievance handling

Introduction Definition of Grievance Concept of Grievance Why do grievances arise? Directions help in handling a grievance Errors in processing of Grievance Principles of Grievance handling Grievance Machinery Grievance handling procedure Important aspect of the grievance machinery Concept of Arbitration Arbitrator

Introduction
Human nature is such that wherever he works, he has grievance about something or the other. They may be real or imaginary, valid or invalid, genuine or false. The grievance produce unhappiness, frustration, discontent, indifference and poor morale and ultimately it has an adverse effect on the efficiency and productivity of an employee

Definition of Grievance
Prof. Pigors and Meyers define grievance as dissatisfaction. According to them, dissatisfaction of an employee is anything that disturbs the employee, whether expressed or not Dale Yoder defines it as "a written complaint filed by an employee and claiming unfair treatment". The National Commission of Labour states that complaints affecting one or more individual workers in respect of their wage payments, overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, work assignment, and discharges would constitute grievance

Why do grievances arise?

A grievance is always a symbol of some malfunctioning or maladjustment. The causes of employee grievances could be grouped as follows: 1.Promotions 3. Continuity of Services 5. Compensation 7. Disciplinary action 9. Acting Promotion 11. Recovery of dues 12. Safety appliance 15. Victimization 2. Amenities 4. Fines 6. Increments 8. Wages 10. Transfer 13. Superannuation 14. Super session 16. Conditions of work.

Directions help in handling a grievance

1. Receive and define the nature of the dissatisfaction 2. Get the facts 3. Analyze and divide 4. Apply the answer 5. Follow up

Errors in processing of Grievance

1. Stopping too soon in the search of facts 2. Expressing a management opinion prior to the time when all pertinent facts have been discovered 3. Failing to maintain proper records 4. Resorting to executive fiat or orders instead of discussion and conference to change minds 5. Setting the wrong grievance a mistake which may in turn produce a second new grievance. Follow up is the step in the procedure that tells us when a mistake in handling has been made.

Principles of Grievance handling

Principles suggested by the Indian Institute of Personnel Management for addressing the grievance are as follows: a) A grievance should be dealt within the limits of the first line supervisor. b) The appellate authority should be made clear to the employee so that if he cannot get satisfaction from his immediate supervisor, he should know the next step. c) The grievance should be dealt with speedily. d) In establishing a grievance procedure, if the grievance is against an instruction given by a superior in the interest of order and discipline, the instructions must be carried out first and then only employee can register his protest

Grievance Machinery
Usually thought of in connection with a company that deals with a labour union. Whether unionized or not, should have established and known methods of processing grievances. Representatives from each department/shift can constitute a new machinery. Agreed list of names from Union as per any existing agreement. A satisfactorily running Works Committee member shall act as the departmental representative

Grievance Handling Procedure

Grievance procedure vary from industry to industry and from trade union to trade union because of the variations in the size of organizations, trade union strength, the management philosophy, the company traditions, industrial practices and in the cost factor.

Grievance Handling Procedure

Initial step Intermediate step Final Company union step

ARBITRATION

TOP MANAGEMENT

TOP UNION LEADERSHIP COMPANY UNION GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT

SUPERVISOR

UNION REPRESENTATIVE AGGRIEVED EMPLOYEE

Important aspect of the grievance machinery

The reassurance given to an individual employee by the mere fact that there is a mechanism available to him which will consider his grievance in a dispassionate and detailed manner, and that his point of view will be heard and given due consideration. An employee's conception of his problems may be quite biased. Venting his grievance and being heard gives him a feeling of being cared for. He gets it "off his chest", so to say, and it does a lot of good for his morale as revealed by the famous Hawthorne Studies.

Concept of Arbitration
The union can temporarily or permanently drop the issue. The union can call a strike if the contract permits. The case may be submitted to an impartial arbitrator.

Arbitrator
Arbitration is usually handled by either a single individual or a panel of three, consisting of a representative of labour, one of management, and an impartial third person. An arbitrator is an outside third party who is brought in to settle a dispute, and he or she has the authority to make a decision. The arbitrator may be hired for a particular case or may be appointed as a permanent official for the industry or the company and the union. Generally, the person may be acceptable to both union and management.