MANIFESTATIONS OF

INDUSTRIAL CONFLICT
PRESENTATION BY:
EESHA MEHTA

Meaning of Conflict
The

Webster's dictionary conceives conflict

both as a noun and a verb
As a noun it refers to a sharp difference,
disagreement, collision or opposition of
interests, ideas, etc, clash, hostility;
Conflict emphasizes process rather than the
end- conflict over sharing the profits
According to Newstorm and Davis, conflict
is any situation in which two or more
parties feel themselves in opposition

Definition
Stephen

Robins defines conflict as a

process that begins with a party perceives
that another party has negatively affected,
or is about to negatively affect, something
that first party cares about.
It encompasses the wide range of conflicts
that people experience in organizationsincompatibility of goals, differences over
interpretations of facts, disagreements
based on behavioral expectations and like

Nature of Conflict
Conflict

is a process in which one party

perceives that its interests are opposed or
negatively affected by another party.
The process word implies that sources of
conflict and issues can be real or imaginary.
Whether real or imaginary the result of
conflict is same
Conflict occurs whenever disagreements
exist in social situations over issues of
substance and /or emotional antagonisms.

Nature of Conflict
Conflict

can escalate (strengthen) or deescalate (weaken) over time

The conflict process unfolds in a contextescalates or not and whenever conflict
occurs the disputants or third parties
attempt to manage it in some manner
Consequently we need to understand
the dynamics of conflict and know how
to handle it effectively.

Industrial Conflict
IC

has negative connotation for many

strikes, lockouts, rallies etc.
IC is institutionalized through conciliation
and arbitration
It has a stabilizing effect on the industrial
society and is instrument of social change.
Conflict has its roots in fundamental rights
the freedom of expression.
IC also means some disorder, the parties
involved in a conflict seek to maximize the
disorder.

Levels of Disorders (Robert

Dubin)
Disorder

designed to halt the regular functioning

of the organization- strikes, lockouts;
Disorder designed to be disruptive while the
organization continues to operate, slowdowns or
work-to-rule strikes, unilateral management
actions;
Disorder directed at redefining an existing
institutional practice to the advantage of the
party creating the disorder- grievance
procedure. The grievance procedure helps the
parties to adjust.

Inevitability of conflict
What
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.
7.

makes conflict inevitable in organizations?

Constant change- industrial societies are dynamic.
Unlimited needs and desires of the parties
Divergent interests.
Greater employee diversity and more groups in the
workforce- formal and informal groups.
Identity and survival instincts of the parties- union
must resist to retain its identity, management
cannot go on agreeing to demands.
More dynamic careers (less loyalty to organization)
A global economy with increased cross-cultural
dealings.

Introduction
Industrial

conflicts in organisations are

inevitable. For employers to perform their crucial
roles effectively and efficiently there must exist
a strong cordial relationship between the
employees and employers in the organisation.
Employees occupy a very strategic place in an
organization because of their centrality to the
production process. They contribute a very
indefinable role both in the achievement of
various organization goals and objectives as well
as the government economic programme.

Concept of conflict and

industrial conflict
Unions

and management tend to have

opposite views because of the divergence
between the expectations of management
and labour in organization which often leads
to conflicts.
Conflict by nature is a constant phenomenon
in anyhuman organization. It is so ubiquitous
in social life that it has been isolated by some
as the basic unit for understanding social
existence (Ajala, 2003; Alimba, 2010).

SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Conflicts

arise in organizations in two ways namely, internal

and external.
A. INTERNAL SOURCE
This comprise of disagreements arising within the
organisation. Conflict orientations within a work setting
centres basically on the opposed nature of the interest of the
employers and workers. The employer is seeking the greatest
possible output at the least cost. The employer is constantly
seeking to lower the wage rate, to lengthen the hours of work,
to speed up the workers, to layoff and to discharge workers
whenever it is temporarily economical. On the other hand, the
union which represents the workgroup is seeking continuous
employment for its members at the highest possible
conditions in respect of hours of work, security and continuity,
safety, comfort, sanitation, esteem and so on.

In this relation, both the employers and the employees

want the largest cut of the industrial cake that they both
cannot get. Moreover, conflict arises because the needs
of all three actors of industrial relations often conflict
with one another.
Therefore, according to Otobo (2000), internal sources of
conflict would include:
i. Style of management
ii. Nature of physical environment of the work place
iii. Orientation or social consciousness of workers
iv. Other conditions of service
v. Efficacy or otherwise of the promotion system and
vi. Cumbersomeness of grievance and disputes procedure.

B) EXTERNAL SOURCE
These

include government industrial and

economic policies, the nature of labor legislation,
unpatriotic and unethical behaviour of the
political and economic classes, national
economic mismanagement and general
distribution of wealth and power in the society.
The important thing to note about these factors
is that both workers and management respond to
them. Some of the external causes of conflict
may however not directly instigate industrial
conflict, but they do influence general social
expectation.

Manifestations of
Conflict
Manifestations

of conflict are not

confined to a single outlet. The means of
expressing conflict are as unlimited as
ingenuity of a man
The manifestations of industrial conflict
can be broadly classified into:
(a) The manifestations of organized group
conflict (union management) and
(b) The manifestations of individual and
unorganized conflict

Manifestations of
Conflict
The

first type of manifestations of conflict are:

i) Strikes, lockouts and removal of machinery,
thereby interrupting the production
ii) Organized restrictions of output in the form
of work limitations, slow downs, sabotage and
unilateral changes of work standards, piece
rates etc.
iii) Conflicts in the interpretation of contract
negotiations, implementation of settlement
and awards, grievances etc but without work
stoppages.

Manifestations of
Conflict
The

other group of manifestations are further

divided on the basis of the party directly
responsible for the conflict, into:
i) Industrial conflict resulting from employee
behavior, and
ii) Industrial conflict arising from management
behavior
The first of these includes unorganized withholding
of effort, intentional waste and inefficiency, high
labor turnover, and absenteeism, complaints
and grievances, violation of rules and
regulations etc

Manifestations of
Conflict
On

the other hand, industrial conflict

results from management behavior
of the following types
i) Autocratic supervision and over
strict discipline and penalties
ii) Unnecessary discriminatory firings,
demotions, discharge and dismissals
and
iii) Unofficial speedups, etc

Causes of Industrial
Conflict
In Indian organizations conflicts have
mainly been due to:
1. Wages and allowances
2. Bonus
3. Personnel matters
4. Retrenchment
5. Leaves and hours of work/ shift working
6. Indiscipline and violence, and
7. Other reasons

Conflict in Indian
Industries
Major

form of conflict- strikes and lock-

outs
Extent of work stoppages- before 1991
and after 1991 and contemporary times.
Consequences of work stoppages:
1. To workers: wage loss, loss of jobs
2. For Management: loss of production,
markets, damages to company property.
3. To society: loss/disruption of services
4. To the State: loss of revenue

INDUSTRIAL CONFLICTS
INTEREST
DISPUTES

GRIEVANCE
DISPUTES

UNFAIR
LABOR
PRACTICES

RECOGNITION
DISPUTES

It arises out of
deadlocks in
negotiations

Arise from day

to day
grievances

Arise from acts

of interference
with the
exercise of right
to organize Acts
etc.

Arise due to the

recognition of
trade unions as
a bargaining
agent