This is an application under section 50 of the Industrial Relation Ordinance, 1969, for interpretation of clause 3(1) of the agreement dated June 3, 1967. The relevant provision of the agreement which requires interpretation, runs as under:- The parties have agreed to the introduction of an Attendance Allowance Scheme with effect from June 3, 1967, subject to the Lab following terms and conditions:-
(i) that the attendance allowance will be payable to those Am workmen in permanent service of the mills who will be regular and punctual in attendance and work throughout the Ltd fortnight. Any absence whether on authorised leave or other- Ana wise from work on any day in the fortnight or any late attendance will disqualify the workmen concerned from the payment of the attendance allowance for the fortnight.
2. The contention of Mr. Wasiullah Qureshi, learned Repre--sentative for the workmen, is that the workmen would be entitled to attendance allowance even if they were to proceed on casual lease.
I do not think that this interpretation is possible on the language of the agreement reproduced, above. The- parties did not make any exception even in case of authorised leave. Casual leave cannot be availed of without being authorised. I would hold that casual leave cannot furnish any exception to the clause of the agreement so as to entitle a workman to claim A attendance allowance.