BROOKE BOND INDIA LTD. vs THE WORKMEN

The Supreme Court held that the agreement signed by the office bearers of a trade union was not a valid settlement under Section 2(p) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, as they lacked the authority to bind the union. The Court emphasized that for an agreement to be binding under Section 18(1), it must represent a valid settlement between the employer and the workmen, which was not established in this case. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, affirming the tribunal's decision that no binding settlement existed.