1. GRIEVANC
E
HANDLING
ELIJAH P. PIELAGO

2. A Grievance is a type of discontent which must
always be expressed. It can be valid or ridiculous
but must grow out of something connected with
company’s operations or policy. It must involve an
interpretation or application of the provisions of the
labor contract.
- Edwin B. Flippo
The complaints affecting one or more individual
workers in respect of wage payments, overtime,
leave, transfer, promotions, seniority, work
assignment and discharge constitute grievances.
- The National Commission on Labor

3. Characteristics of Grievances
Grievances arise out of the perceived injustice or
unfair treatment felt by the aggrieved employee.

It is the state or feeling of discontent or
dissatisfaction about any aspect of an organization.

The cause of a grievance may be real or
imaginary, serious or inconsequential, genuine or
fake, legitimate or irrational.

 A Grievance
may be voiced or unvoiced. But it
should be expressed in some form, normally in
written form.
It must arise only out of the job of the employee
in the company and not out of family or personal


4. Sources of Grievances
MANAGERIAL CONDITIONS
 Pay Scale or Wage rates
 Overtime
 Benefits – Promotions,
Incentives, Seniority and
Discharges.
 Lack of role clarity
Autocratic Leadership style of
supervisors.
 Lack regards for collective
agreement.

5. Sources of Grievances
WORKING CONDITIONS
 Unrealistic
 Non availability of proper tool,
machines and equipments for
doing the job.
Tight production standards
Bad working conditions
 Poor relationship with the
supervisor.
 Negative approach to discipline.

6. Sources of Grievances
PERSONAL FACTORS
 Narrow attitude
 Over ambition
 Egoistic Personality
 Non- cooperative.
Personal Problems outside
factory

7. Effect of Grievances
1. On Production
 Low quality of production, Low productivity,
Increase in wastage, Increase in cost of
production.
2. On Employees
 Increased absenteeism, Reduction in level
of commitment, Increase in accidents,
Reduced level of employee moral.
3. On Managers
 Strained superior- subordinate relations,
Need for increased supervision/control and
follow up, Increase in unrest.

8. The Grievance Procedure
The objective of this procedure is to
provide an opportunity for an
employee to raise formally an
individual grievance on matters
relevant to his/her employment or
conditions of service where the
normal and customary channel of
discussion with their direct
supervisor has been unable to
resolve the issue.

9. Stages
STAGE :- 1
The aggrieved employee makes a written or oral
representation to the frontline supervisor, seeking
settlement of his grievance, and if the redressal
efforts fail, the issue goes to the next stage.
STAGE :- 2
In this stage, the labor officer is involved in the
process. He acts as a mediator between the
aggrieved employee and the supervisor in arriving
at a settlement.
STAGE :- 3
Higher levels may involved depending upon the
issue.

10. Essentials of Good Grievance
Procedure
Legally Sustainable
 Mutually Acceptable
 Easily understandable
 Highly flexible
 Sufficiently Knowledgeable


11. Guidelines for Handling
Grievances
DO :Investigate and handle each case very promptly.
Talk with the employee, give the person a full hearing.
Require the union to identify specific contractual
provisions allegedly violated.
Comply with the contractual time limits for handling the
grievance.
Visit the work area of the grievance.
Determine whether there were any witnesses.
Examine the grievant personal record.
Fully examine prior grievance records.
Hold your grievance discussions privately.
Fully inform your own superiors.

12. Guidelines for Handling
Grievances
DON’T : Discuss the case with the union steward alone.
Hold back the remedy if the company is wrong.
Admit to the binding effect of a past practice.
Relinquish (to give up) to the union your rights as a
manager.
Settle grievances based on what is fair. Instead, stick
to the labor agreement.
Bargain over items now covered by the contract.
Give long written grievance answers.
 Trade a grievance settlement for a grievance
withdrawal.
 Deny grievances because of management pressures.
Agree to informal amendments in the contract.

13. Benefits
Enables
the management to know
the pulse of its employees.
Provides a channel to the aggrieved
to express their grievances.
Provides clues about the behavior
and attitude of the managers and
supervisors towards their
subordinates.
Gives an assurance to the
employees about the existence of a
mechanism for the prompt redressal
of their grievance.
Keep up the morale of the