INTRODUCTION :
A grievance is any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice having connection with one’s employment situation which is brought to the attention of management.
1. Dissatisfaction is anything that disturbs an employee, whether or not the unrest is expressed in words.
2. Complaint is a spoken or written dissatisfaction brought to the attention of the supervisor or the shop steward.
3. Grievance is a complaint that has been formally presented to a management representative or to a union official.
DEFINITION :
According to Michael Jucious, ‘grievance is any discontent or dissatisfaction whether expressed or not, whether valid or not, arising out of anything connected with the company which an employee thinks, believes or even feels to be unfair, unjust or inequitable’.
FEATURES :
1. The dissatisfaction must arise out of employment and not due to personal or family problems.
2. The discontent can arise out of real or imaginary reasons. When employees feel that injustice has been done to them, they have a grievance. The reason for such a feeling may be valid or invalid, legitimate or irrational, justifiable or ridiculous.
3. The discontent may be voiced or unvoiced, but it must find expression in some form. However, discontent per se is not a grievance. Initially, the employee may complain orally or in writing. If this is not looked into promptly, the employee feels a sense of lack of justice. Now, the discontent grows and takes the shape of a grievance.
4. A grievance is traceable to be perceived as non-fulfillment of one’s expectations from the organization.
NEED FOR GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE:
(i) Identification and analysis of grievances, nature nod causes.
(ii) Helps at formulating and implementing the policies and programmes.
(iii) It is problem solving, dispute-settling mechanism.
(iv) Strengthen good industrial relationship.
(v) It detects the flaws in working conditions and helps to take corrective measures.
(vi) Build good morale, maintains code of discipline.
(vii) Brings uniformity in handling grievances.
(viii) It develops faith of employees.
(ix) Reduces personality conflicts.
(x) It acts as a pressure valve.
(xi) Provides judicial protection to the employees.
(xii) Provides avenues to present the problems.
CAUSES OF GRIEVANCES :
1. ECONOMIC :
Employees may demand for individual wage adjustments.
They may feel that they are paid less when compared to others.
For example, late bonus, payments, adjustments to overtime pay, perceived inequalities in treatment, claims for equal pay, and appeals against performance- related pay awards.
2.WORK ENVIRONMENT :
Undesirable or unsatisfactory conditions of work.
For example, light, space, heat, or poor physical conditions of workplace, defective tools and equipment, poor quality of material, unfair rules, and lack of recognition.
3. SUPERVISION :
The attitudes of the supervisor towards the employee such as perceived notions of bias, favoritism, nepotism, caste affiliations and regional feelings.
4.ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE :
Any change in the organizational policies can result in grievances. For example, the implementation of revised company policies or new working practices.
5.EMPLOYEE RELATIONS :
Employees are unable to adjust with their colleagues, suffer from feelings of neglect and victimization and become an object of ridicule and humiliation, or other inter- employee disputes.
6.MISCELLANEOUS :
Violations in respect of promotions , Safety methods, transfer, disciplinary rules, fines, granting leaves, medical facilities, etc.
GRIEVANCE HANDLING PROCEDURE:
THE TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE HAS SUCCESSIVE TIME BOUND STEPS :
1. An aggrieved employee would first present his grievance verbally to designated officer who would give a reply within 48 hours.
2. In case employee dissatisfied or fails to get an answer within stipulated period, he would personally or accompanied by department representative, present his grievance to HOD.
3. If HOD fails to give a decision within 3 days or if his decision is unsatisfactory, the aggrieved worker can meet “grievance committee (gc)”. Gc will communicate its recommendations to manager within 7 days ofthe grievance reaching it.
4. If recommendation is not made within stipulated time, reason would be recorded and they will be placed before manager.
Manager . is expected to communicate his decision within 3 days.
5. Worker would have a right to appeal to higher authorities for revision of manager’s decision.
All such appeals have to be decided within a week of the worker’s petition.
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