Supreme Court Says Retired Union Leaders Can Join Talks

Supreme Court rules retired union members can join talks-The Hindu-11th May 2014

It upheld Madras High Court ruling that the former employees had been conferred with honorary membership

The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to interfere with a Madras High Court verdict that retired office-bearers of a company’s trade union can participate in bilateral talks with the firm’s management.

A Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and V. Gopala Gowda dismissed a special leave petition filed by an employee of Indian Overseas Bank, S. Valaiyapathi.

Earlier, a single Judge of the High Court had, acting on a petition from Mr. Valaiyapathi, restrained the IOB management from permitting Mr. L. Balasubramanian and S. Srinivasan — respectively former president and former secretary of the All India Overseas Bank Employees’ Union (AIOBEU) — from taking part in any talks on the grounds that they had retired from service.

On appeal, however, a Division Bench of the High Court, quoting a bye-law of the AIOBEU providing for membership to outsiders, had ruled that Mr. Balasubramanian and Mr. Srinivasan were entitled to participate in negotiations with the bank management.

The Bench pointed out that the union had, in its General Council meeting of July 2010, unanimously conferred honorary membership on the two appellants for being elected to the National Executive after their superannuation.

Mr. Valaiyapathi’s SLP was directed against this order, which the apex court has dismissed, affirming the Division Bench’s ruling.

Link The Hindu