Arbitration Unit and Industrial Court

Introduction

In order to constitute the Industrial Court His Excellency the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, appoints a panel comprising of not less than 5 persons for a period not exceeding three years.

Industrial Disputes are forwarded for arbitration or to the Industrial Court for settlement. In this a minor industrial dispute may be forwarded in writing to an arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators by the Honorable Minister in terms of Section 4(1) of the Industrial Dispute Act and any industrial dispute may be submitted to the industrial court by the Honorable Minister for settlement in terms of Section 4(2) of the Act.

A workman or a trade union may forward an industrial dispute to the industrial court straightaway.

Functions

An industrial dispute is submitted with a report prepared by the commissioner of Labour to the honorable Minister and the honorable Minister forwards it to an arbitrator or the industrial court.

The duties of the arbitrator or the industrial court are;

• To convene the parties relevant to the dispute and conduct an inquiry with regard to all relevant matters
• To make a just and equitable award