- (1.) These are intra-court appeals, under Clause X of the Letters Patent, against a common judgment rendered by the learned Single Judge dated 22.03.2014, vide which the award rendered by the Labour Court, Bathinda, dated 14.12.2010, reinstating the workmen with continuity of service and full back wages, was modified and instead the appellants (hereinafter referred to as 'the workmen') were awarded compensation. Being aggrieved, the workmen are before us.
(2.) The facts are being culled out from LPA No. 1519 of 2014.
(3.) The workmen raised an industrial dispute, as their services were purported to have been terminated in violation of the provisions of Sections 25-F and 25-H of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (for short, 'the Act'). It was claimed that they had worked as Mate from 01.02.1982 to 09.10.1985 with the respondent (hereinafter referred to as 'the Management'). The claim of the workmen was resisted by the Management on the ground that the dispute was raised after an inordinate delay of 19 years and thus, the workmen were not entitled to any relief. Further, the Lining Division at Faridkot, on account of reduction of work and lack of funds, had become defunct and thus, services of the workmen were terminated. So much so, the workmen had even accepted the retrenchment compensation many years back and therefore were estopped to raise any dispute. Further, neither any junior was retained in service nor any fresh appointments were made.;