Legality Of Go-Slow Strikes in India

Go-slow strikes are a form of industrial action in which workers deliberately work at a slower pace than usual in order to cause problems for their employers. These strikes are often used as a means of protest or bargaining by workers who are dissatisfied with their working conditions, wages, or other aspects of their employment. The legality of go-slow strikes in India is a complex and controversial issue that has not been clearly resolved by the law or the courts.  The main legal source that regulates industrial disputes and strikes in India is the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (“IDA”). The definitions in the IDA do not explicitly include or exclude goslow strikes, leaving room for interpretation and debate. The judicial interpretation of goslow strikes in India has been varied and inconsistent, as different courts have taken different viewpoints on this issue. Some courts have held that go-slow strikes amount to misconduct by the workers. Some courts have also taken a middle ground and held that goslow strikes may be legal or illegal depending on the facts and circumstances of each case, such as the nature, extent, duration, and motive of the go-slow action. The endeavour of this research paper is to understand the legality of go-slow in India. In order to do this, the research paper will focus on understanding the current legal position of go-slows in India as per labour laws and its interpretation by the courts. The paper will also make a comparative analysis with the foreign legal approach to have a holistic overview of the issue to analyse the issue of legality of go-slows in India.