10A. Voluntary referenc e of disputes to arbitration .
(1)Where any industrial dispute exists or
is apprehended and the employer and the workmen agree to refer the dispute to arbitration, they may, at
any time before the dispute has been referred under section 10 to a Labour Court or Tribunal or National
Tribun al, by a written agreement, refer the dispute to arbitration and the reference shall be to such person
or persons (including the presiding officer of a Labour Court or Tribunal or National Tribunal) as an
arbitrator or arbitrators as may be specifie d in th e arbitration agreement.
3[(1A) Where an arbitration agreement provides for a reference of the dispute to an even number of
arbitrators, the agreement shall provide for the appointment of another person as umpire who shall enter
upon the reference, if the arbitrators are equally divided in their opinion, and the award of the umpire
shall prevail and shall be deemed to be the arbitration award for the purposes of this Act.] (2)An arbitration agreement referred to in sub -section ( 1) shall be in such form an d shall be signed
by the parties thereto in su ch manner as may be prescribed.