Somasundaram, J.

The petitioners in Writ Petition No. 8646 of 1984 are the appellants in this writ appeal. For the sake of convenience the parties are referred to by the nomenclature given in the writ petition.

2. The petitioners filed Writ Petition No. 8646 of 1984 for the issue of a writ of certiorari to quash the award, dated 21st September, 1983, passed by the third respondent in I.D. No. 306 of 1977.

3. The case of the petitioners in Writ Petition No. 8646 of 1984 is as follows :

The first respondent company is engaged in the manufacture of chassis and industrial engines. Within two years of the commencement of production, in accordance with statutory obligations under the Factories Act, the first respondent-company started the second respondent - canteen for the sale of foodstuffs to the workers of the company. The canteen was started and was being run on a co-operative basis and for this purpose the second respondent - society was formed and registered under the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Societies Act. The petitioners were all employees in the second respondent - canteen. The second respondent - canteen incurred huge losses and eventually it ceased to