Social Justice

Social justice, the concept of social justice has now become such an integral part of industrial law that it would be ideal for any party to suggest that industrial adjudication can or should ignore the claims of social justice in dealing with industrial disputes. The concept of social justice is not narrow, or onesided, or pedantic, and is not con-fined to industrial adjudication alone. Its sweep is comprehensive. It is founded on the basic ideal to socio-economic equality and its aim is to assist the removal of socio-economic disparities and in-equalities; nevertheless, in dealing with industrial matters, it does not adopt a doctrinaire approach and refuses to yield blindly to abstract notions, but adopts a realistic and pragmatic approach. It, therefore, endeavours to resolve the competing claims of employers and employees by finding a solution which is just and fair to both parties with the object of establishing harmony between capital and labour, and good relationship, J.K. Cotton Spinning and Weaving Mills Co. Ltd. v. AIR 1964 SC 737 (743): (1964) 3 SCR 724.