Correct option is A
To arrange the causes of work stoppages in ascending order (i.e., from least frequent or significant to most significant), we rely on trends typically reported by the Labour Bureau and Ministry of Labour.
C. Leave and hours of work
– This is one of the least common causes of work stoppages. Issues like insufficient leave or long work hours do arise, but are generally addressed internally.
B. Bonus
– Bonus-related disputes are seasonal (e.g., during festivals or year-end) and occur more frequently than issues like leave, but are still less significant than structural or behavioral issues.
E. Indiscipline and violence
– These are serious but relatively infrequent, often leading to lockouts rather than strikes, and are usually handled through disciplinary mechanisms.
A. Retrenchment of personnel
– Concerns over job security and mass layoffs often trigger major work stoppages, especially during organizational restructuring or closures.
D. Wages and allowances
– This is consistently the most common and significant cause of industrial disputes in India. Wage dissatisfaction leads to both long and short-term strikes.
Information Booster:
Wage-related disputes have historically been the leading cause of strikes and lockouts in India.
Retrenchment issues tend to spike during economic downturns or restructuring periods.
Bonus disputes are influenced by the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965.
Indiscipline and violence can result in lockouts, which are usually employer-initiated.
Disputes related to leave and working hours are covered under labour laws like the Factories Act and Shops & Establishments Acts.
Work stoppage data is collected by the Labour Bureau, which categorizes causes annually in its reports.
The Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 provides mechanisms like conciliation, arbitration, and adjudication to resolve these disputes.