GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

A grievance is a sign of employees discontent with job and its nature. The employee has got certain aspirations and expectations which he thinks must be fulfilled by the organisation where he is working. When the organisation fails to satisfy the employee needs, he develops a feeling of discontent or dissatisfaction. Thus, grievance is caused due to the difference between the employee expectation and management practices. Breach defines a grievances as any dissatisfaction or feeling of injustice in connection with ones employment situation that is brought to the notice of the management Jucius defines a grievance as ---- any discontent or dissatisfaction, whether exposed 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

Need for a Grievance Procedure

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Grievance procedure is necessary for any organisation due to the following reasons.
4.

Most grievances seriously disturb the employees. This may affect their morale, productivity and their willingness to cooperate with the organisation. If an explosive situation develops, this can be promptly attended to if a grievance handling procedure is already in existence.
6.

It is not possible that all the complaints of the employees would be settled by firsttime supervisors, for these supervisors may not have had a proper training for the

purpose, and they may lack authority. Moreover, there may be personality conflicts and other causes as well.
8.

It serves as a check on the arbitrary actions of the management because supervisors know that employees are likely to see to it that their protest does reach the higher management.
It serves as an outlet for employees gripes, discontent and frustration. It acts like a pressure valve on a steam boiler. The employees are entitled to legislative, executive and judicial protection and they get this protection from the grievance redressal procedure, which also acts as a means of upward communication. The top management becomes increasingly aware of employees problems, expectations and frustrations. It becomes sensitive to their needs, and cares for their well-being. This is why the management, while formulating plans that might affect the employees for example plant expansion or modification, the installation of labour saving devices, etc. should take into consideration the impact that such plans might have on the employee. 3. The management has complete authority to operate the business as it sees fit subject, of course, to its legal and moral obligations and the contracts it has entered into with its workers or their representative trade union. But if the trade union or the employees do not like the way the management functions, they can submit their grievance in accordance with the procedure laid down for that purpose.

The Causes of Grievances

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The causes of employee grievances includes:

ii.

Demands for individual wage adjustments,

iii.

Complaints about the incentive systems

iv.

Complaints about the job classifications,

v.

Complaints against a particular foreman

vi.

Complaints concerning disciplinary measures and procedures.

vii.

Objections to the general methods of supervision,

viii.

Loose calculation and interpretation of seniority rules, and

unsatisfactory interpretation of agreements.

ix.

Promotions
x.

Disciplinary discharge or lay-off,

xi.

Transfer for another department or another shift,

xii.

Inadequacy of safety and health services / devices

xiii.

Non-availability of material in time

xiv.

Violation of contracts relating to collective bargaining

xv.

Improper job assignment, and

xvi.

Undesirable or unsatisfactory conditions of work.

ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITES OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

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Every organisation should have a systematic grievance procedure in order to redress the grievances effectively. As explained above, unattended grievances may culminate in the form of violent conflicts later on. The grievance procedure, to be sound and effective, should possess certain prerequisites:
3.

Conformity with statutory provisions: Due consideration must be given to the prevailing legislation while designing the grievancehandling procedure.
5.

Un ambiguity; Every aspect of the grievance handling procedure should be clear and unambiguous. All employees should know whom to approach first when they have a grievance, whether the complaint should be written or oral, the minimum time in which the redressal is

assured, etc. The redressing official should also know the limits within which he can take the required action.

1. Simplicity: The grievance handling procedure should be simple and short. If the procedure is complicated it may discourage employees and they may fail to make use of it in a proper manner. 3. Promptness: The grievance of the employee should be promptly handled and necessary action must be taken immediately. This is good for both the employer and management, because if the wrong doer is punished late, it may effect the morale of other employees as well. 5. Training: The supervisors and the union representatives should be properly trained in all aspects of grievance-handling beforehand, or else it will complicate the problem. 7. Follow up: The Personnel Department should keep track of the effectiveness and the functioning of grievance handling procedure and make necessary changes to improve it from time to time