IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE R.BASANT & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE K.SURENDRA MOHAN TUESDAY, THE 5TH APRIL 2011 / 15TH CHAITHRA 1933 WP(C).No. 6911 of 2011(L) ------------------------------------- PETITIONER(S): ------------------------ 1. S.RATHEENDRAN, AGED 55 YEARS, S/O.SEKHARAN, SECRETARY, AIR CARGO WORKERS UNION (CITU), TC 79/2047, ABHILASH BHAVAN, KARIKKAKAM, BEACH P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-7. 2. K.RAJENDRAN, TC 77/561, PADIJATTILVEEDU, CHACKA, ITI JUNCTION, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. J.VIGNESWARAN, TC 34/1584, KOCHUTHOUP, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 4. A.VIJAYAKUMAR, TC 78/666, SHANGHUMUGHOM BEACH P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 5. AJITH J., STATE BANK NAGAR, HOUSE NO.24, POONTHIROAD, KUMARAPURAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 6. K.UDHAYAKUMAR, S/O. KUNJU SHANKARAN, TC 33/697, VELAN VILLAKAM, KOCHUVELI, TITANIUM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 7. JOHN PERIERA, TC 80/345, THYVILAKOM HOUSE, KOCHUVELI, TITANIUM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 8. V.VIJAYAKUMAR, S/O. VISHWAMBHARAN, DEVAPPURAVILAKAKOM, KSEB JUNCTION, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. tss W.P.(C) NO.6911/2011 9. M.VASUNDARASAN, TC 18/1825, KARTHIKA THYVILA LANE, PLAVILA, THIRUMALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 10. KENI, TC 32/411(1), G.G.HOUSE, KOCHUVELI, TITANIUM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 11. ALBERT GOMAZ, S/O. LOUIZ GOMAZ, TC 34/1347, NEW 78/850, SILVER STAND VALIYATHOPE, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 12. JUSA VINCENT, S/O. JUSA, TC 34/1297, KOCHUTHOPE, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 13. SALIM, S/O. PEERUKANNU, TC 2/1470, THYKUTTAM HOUSE, ATTINKUZHI, KAZHAKUTTAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 14. MANIKANDAN, S/O. VIJAYAN, KARIKKAKOM, BEACH P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 15. GERIGON, S/O. JUSSA MEERANDA, TC 78/3361, ASHA HOUSE, BEACH P.O., SHANGUMUGHAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 16. B.MURALEEDHARAN NAIR, TC 31/158, NADUTHATTIL VEEDU, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 17. EUGIN, S/O. AUGUSTIN, TC 78/2979, VALIYATHURA, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 18. BAIJU KUMAR, TC 31/101, DAIVAPPURA VILAKAM, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 19. K.GIREESHAN, TC 31/232(1), ROHINI NIVAS, NEAR ITI JUNCTION, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 20. K.PRAKASHAN, TC 31/232(1), ROHINI NIVAS, NEAR ITI JUNCTION, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 21. SASIDHARAN, TC 31/248, PARASHERI MUDUMBIL VEEDU, NEAR ITI JUNCTION, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. tss W.P.(C) NO.6911/2011 22. K.SUKUNATHAN, TC 31/143, PALLITHOPPU, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 23. UPENDRAN, TC 24/1581, MERA NAGAR-73, VILAYILVEEDU, THYCADU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 014. 24. K.RAVEENDRAN, TC 31/192, VVRA-111, NEAR ITI JUNCTION, CHACKAI, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 25. IGNATIOUS, TC 78/934, TINU HOUSE, VALIYATHOPE, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 26. VISHNU V., S/O. VIJAYAKUMAR, MMRA-129, TC 77/873, PATTUVILAKOM, MOONAMANAKAL, PETTAH P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 27. DOMINIC, TC 78/935(34/1464-1), VALIYATHOPE, VALLAKKADAVU P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 28. BRUNO J.FERNANDEZ, TC 80/303, THYVILAKOM HOUSE, KOCHUVELI, TITANIUM P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. BY ADV. SRI.A.X.VARGHESE SRI.A.V.JOJO RESPONDENT(S): ------------------------ 1. THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, TRIVANDRUM AIR CARGO TERMINAL, SANGHUMUGAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 008. 2. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM CITY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN-695 001. 3. THE ASST. COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, SANGHUMUGAM, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 008. 4. THE CIRCLE INSPECTOR OF POLICE, POONTHARA POLICE STATION, PIN-695 309. 5. THE SUB INSPECTOR OF POLICE, SANGHUMUGHAM-697 008. tss W.P.(C) NO.6911/2011 6. SREEKANDAN NAIR, CONVENER, CITU, CHAKKA UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM- 695 024. 7. VIJAYAKUMAR, CONVENER, AITUC, CHAKKA UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 024. 8. CHANDRABABU J., CONVENER, UTUC, CHAKKA UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 024. 9. SHAJI KUMAR, CONVENER, INTUC, CHAKKA UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 024. 10. SREEKUMAR, CONVENER, BMS, CHAKKA UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM-695 024. R1 BY ADVS.SRI.E.K.NANDAKUMAR, SRI.A.K.JAYASANKAR NAMBIAR, SRI.K.JOHN MATHAI, SRI.P.BENNY THOMAS, SRI.P.GOPINATH. R2 TO R4 BY GOVT. PLEADER SRI.T.K.VIPINDAS R6 TO R10 BY ADVS. SRI.THOMAS ABRAHAM, SRI.DIPU.R, SRI.C.T.THOMAS, SRI.K.S.HARIDAS, SRI.V.RENJITH KUMAR. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 05/04/2011, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: tss W.P.(C) NO.6911/2011 APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS P1:- COPY OF THE ENTRY PASS ISSUED TO THE IST PETITIONER. P2:- COPY OF THE REQUEST LETTER SUBMITTED BY THE IST RESPONDENT DT. 23.2.2011. P3:- COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DT.D 3.3.2011. P4:- COPY OF THE ENTRY PASS ISSUED TO SOME OF THE PETITIONERS. P5:- COPY OF THE ORDER DT. 14.5.1998. P6:- COPY OF THE COMMON JUDGMENT DT. 24.11.1999. P7:- COPY OF THE ORDER DT.D 28.6.2001. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS R6(a):- COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DTD 31.1.08 IN WPC. 1274/2008. R6(b):- COPY OF THE ORDER ISSUED BY DLO. R6(c):- COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DTD. 14.10.10 IN WPC. NO.37109/09. R6(d):- COPY OF THE ORDER DTD. 26.11.2010 PASSED BY THE RJLC KOLLAM. R6(e):- COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION SUBMITTED BY THESE UNIONS DT. 13.7.2010. R6(f):- COPY OF THE NOTICE DT.D 5.3.11 ISSUED BY THE DLO TO THE IST RESPONDENT AND OTHERS. TRUE COPY P.S. TO JUDGE tss R.BASANT & K. SURENDRA MOHAN, JJ. ------------------------------------------------------------ W.P(C) NO: 6911 OF 2011 L ----------------------------------------------------------- Dated this the 5th April, 2011. JUDGMENT Basant, J. Petitioners claim to be persons engaged by the first respondent for work in connection with the international air cargo terminal. Earlier the unit was functioning at Shanghumughom, Trivandrum. It has been shifted to Chakka in Trivandrum. Only part of the operation i.e exporting activity has been shifted to the unit at Chakka. Petitioners are admittedly workmen who were doing the loading and unloading work at Shanghumughom where the unit was earlier functioning. Subsequent to the shifting of the unit to Chakka petitioners assert that they are entitled to continue to discharge the work which they were earlier doing at Shanghumughom now at Chakka also. Respondents 6 to 10 unions representing the headload workers at Chakka are staking a claim for right to employment to the exclusion of the petitioners who have come to the locality from far off Shanghumughom. This in short is the dispute between the parties. Petitioners assert that they are WPC 6911/2011 2 entitled to and they are continuing to do the work now. Respondents 6 to 10 claim that consequent to the shifting they are entitled to do the work exclusively. They are the registered headload workers entitled to do the work, asserts the learned counsel for respondents 6 to 10. 2. The fact that the petitioners were earlier doing the work and they are continuing to do the work does not appears to be seriously disputed. The first respondent accepts that version. However, the first respondent does not accept that there is employer employee relationship between the first respondent and the petitioners. 3. Having rendered our anxious consideration to all the relevant inputs we have no hesitation to agree that the dispute between the petitioners on the one hand and the workers represented by respondents 6 to 10 on the other must be resolved in accordance with the procedure stipulated under Section 21 of the Kerala Headload Workers Act. We are informed that already the District Labour Officer is holding conciliation conference in the matter. Appropriate action has to be taken and orders will have to be passed under Section 21 of the Kerala Headload Workers Act. We are satisfied that with the WPC 6911/2011 3 above observations this petition can now be closed. 4. In the result; a) This petition is allowed in part. b) The parties shall initiate requisite proceedings before the authorities under Section 21 of the Kerala Headload Workers Act and shall abide by the decisions of such proceedings (initiated already or to be initiated hereafter). c) Until such resolution of dispute takes place petitioners shall be entitled to get the work done and respondents 2 to 5 shall afford the requisite protection for the petitioners. R.BASANT Judge K. SURENDRA MOHAN Judge jj WPC 6911/2011 4 Service is complete. First respondent though served has not entered appearance. Respondents 6 to 10 appeared through counsel. Counsel prays for time to file objections. File objections/counter affidavit in five days with copy to the counsel for the petitioners. Call on 17-3-2011 for hearing and disposal. WPC 6911/2011 5 R.BASANT Judge K. SURENDRA MOHAN Judge jj WPC 6911/2011 6