Judgement

MITTER, J. : This is an appeal by special leave from the award of the Industrial Tribunal, Dhanbad, dated April 25, 1964. No less than 13 issues were referred to the Tribunal under S. 10 (1) (d) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 for adjudication. Before this Court, however, the company which has come up in appeal limited its grievance against the award on only a very few of them. These are:-

1. Scales of pay,

2. Dearness allowance,

3. Adjustment in the scales,

4. Privilege and sick, leave, and

5. Gratuity

2. In order to appreciate the proper scope of the dispute between the parties and the extent to which amelioration of the conditions of service of the workmen with regard to the matter mentioned above was justified, it is necessary to refer, in brief, to the past history of the company and its prospects as they have come to light before us. This is all the more necessary because the learned counsel for the appellant made very strong comment on the Tribunal having fixed the scales of pay, the dearness allowance, etc., at considerably higher figures than those prevalent without estimating the impact thereof on the finances of the company. The Tribunal, as a matter of fact, ex