INTRODUCTION
The concept of workman is central to the concept of an
industrial dispute as an industrial dispute can be raised either by
a "workman" or an "employer." Since the
Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 ("ID Act")
is a piece of beneficial legislation, the courts have enlarged the
scope and applicability of this Act by giving wide interpretation
to the term "workman." Section 2(s) defines workman as
any person (including an apprentice) employed in any
industry to do any manual, unskilled, skilled,
technical, operational, clerical or supervisory work, for
hire or reward, terms of employment be express or
implied and includes any such person who has been
dismissed, discharged or retrenched in connection with, or as a
consequence of dispute. It excludes persons employed in
army/Navy/Air Force/Police and those employed in mainly
managerial or administrative, supervisory capacity and drawing
wages of more than INR 6500.
