JUDGMENT

Mrs. Sujata V. Manohar, J.-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., the second respondent in this appeal has about 12,000 employees. Out of these about 1850 employees are working in the refinery division of the second respondent. Process Technicians and Analysts Union which is the appellant-Union has a membership of about 411 employees in the refinery division of the second respondent-corporation.

2. Prior to 1976 there were two companies; one was Burmah Shell Refineries Ltd. which was an Indian company and the other was Burmah Shell Oil Storage and Distributing Company which was a foreign company registered in the United Kingdom and was a marketing company. On or about 24th of January, 1976, the entire share capital of Burmah Shell Refineries Ltd. was purchased by the Government of India and Burmah Shell Refineries Ltd. became a Government Company, and later a Public Sector Undertaking. The Burmah Shell Oil Storage and Distributing Company was a foreign company was acquired by the Central Government by enacting the Burmah Shell (Acquisition of Undertakings in India) Act, 1976. After the acquisition of the Burmah Shell Oil Storage and Distributing Company, both these companies we