Brown & Company PLC v. Minister of Labour and 6 Others – sllr 2011 volume 1 page 305

In the case between Brown & Company PLC (formerly Brown & Co.) and the Minister of Labour (and others including relevant employees and Browns Engineering), the court addressed whether an arbitrator’s award granting travel expenses and other allowances, despite the absence of explicit contractual obligation, was just and equitable under the Industrial Disputes Act. It was held that the arbitrator’s discretion in awarding the uniform daily allowance was justified, reaffirming that industrial arbitration under the Act allows for a broad, equitable, and inquisitorial approach instead of strict contractual interpretation. This determination referenced established statutory principles, relevant precedents, and standards such as “Wednesbury unreasonableness,” highlighting the limited scope of jud