Judgment

SINHA, C.J.I. : This is an appeal by special leave from the Award dated 15-11-1956, made by the Industrial Tribunal, Assam. The dispute arose between the employers, the Indian General Navigation & Railway Company Limited, carrying on business at No. 4, Fairlie Place, Calcutta, and the Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited, carrying on business at No. 2, Fairlie Place, Calcutta, which will be referred to, in the course of this judgment, as the appellants , and their workmen at Dhubri Ghat, represented by the Dhubri Transhipment Labour Union and Dhubri Local Ghat Transhipment Labour Union, Dhubri, which will be referred to hereinafter as the respondents . The Award aforesaid was published in the Assam Gazette on 19-12-1956.

2. It is necessary to state the following facts in order to appreciate the points arising for decision in this case : The appellants carry on business of inland water transport in North East India and in Pakistan, in association with each other, and are commonly known as the Joint Steamer Companies. The appellants jointly maintain a large number of wharves, jetties, godowns, etc., at different river stations in India and in Pakistan, for the purposes of