BIRLA COTTON SPINNING &WEAVING MILLS vs WORKMEN AND OTHERS

The Supreme Court held that the reference to the Tribunal regarding wage standardisation under the Industrial Disputes Act was competent, rejecting the appellant's claim that an earlier award had not been terminated. The Court found that the Tribunal failed to adequately consider the applicability of the Bombay Standardisation Scheme to Delhi and improperly delegated the determination of wage anomalies to a joint committee. The Court emphasized that the Tribunal must protect individual workmen's higher wages under certain conditions while ensuring the principles of standardisation are upheld.