Industrial Relations and Labour Laws Notes
Subject Overview
Industrial Relations and Labour Laws covers how workers, employers, and unions interact under the law — the final-semester paper that connects HR concepts to their legal framework. You'll cover the concept of industrial relations and trade unions, collective bargaining and grievance management, industrial conflicts (strikes, lockouts) and workers' participation in management, and close with an overview of key labour legislation — the Industrial Relations Code 2019, Factories Act, Payment of Wages Act, ESI Act, and more. This is a 6-credit core paper across 4 units, directly building on Human Resource Management from Semester 3.
Subject at a glance
4
Units
32
Topics
6
Credits
4
Infographics
Unit-wise Syllabus
4 units — open any unit for detailed topic-wise notes, diagrams and important exam questions
- Concept
- definition and importance of industrial relations
- factors affecting IR
- approaches to IR
- impact of technology
- nature of trade unions
- the trade union movement in India
- Trade Unions Act 1926
- quality circles
Unitary
One team; conflict is abnormal
Pluralist
Different interests; conflict managed by bargaining
Marxist
Conflict rooted in capital and labour
Study guide
This unit explains the relationship between employers, employees and the state. You study the concept, definition and importance of industrial relations, factors affecting it, approaches, the impact of technology, the nature of trade unions, the trade union movement in India, the Trade Unions Act 1926 and quality circles. Know the main approaches to IR (unitary, pluralist, Marxist).
- Concept and prerequisites of collective bargaining
- the bargaining process and principles
- labour-management cooperation in India
- causes and effects of grievance
- negotiation and collective settlements
- grievance redressal procedure
- 1Preparation
Union and management set goals
- 2Negotiation
Exchange of proposals
- 3Agreement
Terms accepted by both
- 4Implementation
Agreement put into practice
- 5Review
Disputes handled through grievance procedure
Study guide
You study collective bargaining: its concept and prerequisites, the bargaining process and principles, labour-management cooperation in India, causes and effects of grievances, negotiation and collective settlements and the grievance redressal procedure. Be able to outline the steps of collective bargaining and the grievance procedure.
- Meaning
- causes and types of industrial conflict
- strikes and lockouts
- machinery for resolving industrial disputes
- concept and growth of workers' participation in management
- types of workers' participation
- 1Negotiation
Direct talks
- 2Conciliation
Neutral officer helps both sides
- 3Arbitration
Arbitrator's award, by agreement
- 4Adjudication
Labour court or tribunal decides
Study guide
This unit covers the meaning, causes and types of industrial conflict, strikes and lockouts, the machinery for resolving disputes and workers' participation in management, with its growth and types. Learn the machinery of conciliation, arbitration and adjudication.
- Emergence and objectives of labour laws
- Industrial Relations Code 2019
- overview of the Factories Act
- Industrial Disputes Act
- Payment of Wages Act
- Payment of Bonus Act
- ESI Act
- Payment of Gratuity Act
- Minimum Wages Act
- PF Act
- Workmen's Compensation Act
Wages
Payment of Wages, Minimum Wages, Bonus → Code on Wages
Industrial relations
Trade Unions, Industrial Disputes → IR Code
Social security
PF, ESI, Gratuity, Maternity → Social Security Code
Safety
Factories Act → OSH Code
Study guide
You study the emergence and objectives of labour laws, the Industrial Relations Code 2019 and an overview of the major Acts: Factories Act, Industrial Disputes Act, Payment of Wages, Payment of Bonus, ESI, Payment of Gratuity, Minimum Wages, PF and Workmen's Compensation. Several of these Acts have been consolidated into the new labour codes brought into force from November 2025, so confirm with your faculty which laws your exam follows.
Why Industrial Relations and Labour Laws Matters
Labour law and industrial relations knowledge is essential for HR, compliance and management roles and is tested in HR interviews and MBA HR courses.
How to Prepare for Industrial Relations and Labour Laws
- Prepare a table of the main labour Acts with their purpose and coverage.
- Learn the steps of dispute resolution (conciliation, arbitration, adjudication).
- Read about the labour codes and note how they changed the older Acts.
Industrial Relations and Labour Laws: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a strike and a lockout?
A strike is a collective refusal by workers to work, while a lockout is the closing of a workplace by the employer to prevent workers from working.
What is collective bargaining?
It is the negotiation between employers and a union of workers to agree on wages, working conditions and other terms of employment.