A.N. Verma, J. - (1.) This petition is directed against an industrial award dated 6-10-1980 given by the Presiding Officer, Industrial Tribunal V, U.P. Meerut, rejecting the claim of the petitioner - Which is a worker's union - for revision of pay-scale and category applicable to Assistant Store Keepers and Store Munshis.
(2.) The dispute relates to a demand by Store Keepers and Store Munshis employed in the establishment of the State Electricity Board at Meerut for revision of their category and pay-scale during the period 1-4-1969 to 31-3 74. The Tribunal has negatived the claim of the petitioner union which was sousing the cause of the concerned workmen on the ground that the same is barred by a previous award which was made on the basis of a similar demand for the same period.
(3.) Briefly, the relevant facts are that the Central Wage Board submitted a report making recommendations for the wage structure of employees of the Electricity Undertakings whereupon the it a Government issued a notification on 11-2-71 accepting the recommendation of the Wage Board. The Electricity Board in its turn issued an order outlining the categories and scales of pay for their workmen including Store Keepers and Store Munshis. The Assistant Store Keepers and Store Munshies as well as the Store Keepers seem to have been dissatisfied with the said orders of the State Electricity Board. This eventually gave rise to two industrial disputes one relating to Assistant Store Keepers and Store Munshies and the other relating to Store Keepers. On 27-12-1973 the Industrial Tribunal gave an award in respect of Assistant Store Keepers and Store Munshies directing an upward revision in the pay-scale and category of these workmen. The award became final and these workmen appear to have been quite content with the same. They accepted the revised pay scale and category in terms of the said award until 1977 in which year they started asking for a fresh revision of their pay scale and category for the same period beginning from 1-4-1969 to 31-3-1974. It seems, encouraged by the award given in respect of Store Keepers, they started claiming a fresh revision of their category and pay-escape in respect of the same period, namely, five years beginning from 1-4-1969. Eventually the State Government referred the dispute raised by the petition adjudication before the Industrial Tribunal. The dispute referred by the State Government was whether the employers were justified in not revising the pay-scale and category of Assistant Store Keepers and More Munshies. It is significant to note that the reference by the State Government was not limited to any specific period. It is not disputed that these workmen were quite satisfied with the pay scale and category allowed and admissible in respect of such employees as existing on the date of reference of the dispute. Their demand appears to have been confined to the same period, namely, five years beginning from 1-4-1969 which was the period which was the subject of adjudication on the previous occasion which resulted in the award dated 27-12-1973 as mentioned above.;