TRADE UNION: DEFINITION

Trade Union is a combination formed for the

purpose of regulating the relations not only between workmen and employers but also between workmen and workmen or between employers and employers
- Trade Union Act 1926

WHAT IS A TRADE UNION?

A trade union is an organized group of workers. Its

main goal is to protect and advance the interests of its members union often negotiates agreements with employers on pay and conditions. It may also provide legal and financial advice, sickness benefits and education facilities to its members

Trade unions aim to represent the interests of

people at work and negotiate with employers for better terms and conditions for their members

Trade Union
The Trade Union is a continuous association

of the wage earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their working Political motivations and the ideologies influenced the Indian trades union movement and were in turn influenced by its increased strength

HISTORY OF TRADE UNION

The first trade union was started in 1877 in Nagpur It was this labour protest on an organized scale, through

the support of some philanthropic personalities, that organized labour unions came to be formed The setting up of large-scale industrial units created conditions of widespread use of machinery, new lines of production, and brought about changes in working and living environment of workers, and concentration of industries in large towns The first Factorys Act was passed in 1881 by N.M. Lokhode In 1919 Madras Labour Union was the first Union in India to be formed and established by B. P. Vadia Bombay Trade Union formed in 1975 under the leadership of Sorabjee Shapurjee Bengatee

PROCEDURE OF REGISTRATION OF TRADE UNION

At least 7 members should be present for an application It should in a prescribed form, fees and should be

registered under the Registrar of Trade Unions

Should be accompanied by a copy of the Rules of TU Certificate of Registration is issued as soon as TU has

been duly registered under the Act

FUNCTIONS OF TRADE UNION

To secure for workers better wages To safeguard security of tenure and improve conditions of

service
To increase opportunities for promotion and training To improve working and living condition To provide for educational cultural and recreational facilities To promote identity of interests of the workers To offer improved level of production and productivity

discipline and high standard of quality

To promote individual and collective welfare

Importance of Trade Union

The existence of a strong and recognized trade union is a pre-requisite to industrial peace. Decisions taken through the process of collective bargaining and negotiations between employer and unions are more influential. Trade unions play an important role and are helpful in effective communication between the workers and the management. They also play an important educational role, organizing courses for their members on a wide range of matters. Seeking a healthy and safe working environment is also prominent

Trade unions help in accelerated pace of economic development in many ways as follows: by helping in the recruitment and selection of workers. by inculcating discipline among the workforce by enabling settlement of industrial disputes in a rational manner by helping social adjustments. Workers have to adjust themselves to the new working conditions, the new rules and policies. Workers coming from different backgrounds may become disorganized, unsatisfied and frustrated. Unions help them in such adjustment.

Trade unions are a part of society and as such, have to take into consideration the national integration as well. Some important social responsibilities of trade unions include: promoting and maintaining national integration by reducing the number of industrial disputes incorporating a sense of corporate social responsibility in workers achieving industrial peace

Trade unions are formed to achieve the following objectives: Representation Negotiation Voice in decisions affecting workers Member services Education and training Legal assistance Financial discounts Welfare benefits

Reasons for Joining Trade Unions

The important forces that make the employees join a union are as follows: 1. Greater Bargaining Power 2. Minimize Discrimination 3. Sense of Security 4. Sense of Participation 5. Sense of Belongingness 6. Platform for self expression 7. Betterment of relationships

Trade Union Movement

Twin aspects of the Indian Trade Union

Movement:
Labours organization for industrial bargaining Its ideological orientation were analyzed with the

political color

The aspects of the Trade Unions were viewed

in the wider background of the nationalists struggle against Imperialism

Trade Union Movement

The first ever demand for the regulations of the

workings conditions of the workers in the Indians factories came from the Lancashire textile capitalist lobby They apprehended that the emergence of a competitive rival in the Indian textile industry under favorable conditions would deteriorate their position. Hence they demanded the appointment of a commission for an investigation into the factory condition and also the working condition of the labourers. The first commission was appointed in the year 1875, although the First Factory Act was not passed before 1881. The Act prohibited the employment of the children under the age of 7. The Act also limited the working hours of the children below the age of 12 years. Similar

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT

The trade union movement started after 1918,

when the workers formed their associations to improve their conditions. It is, thus, a part of the labour movement, which is a much wide term A trade union is an essential basis of a labour movement for without which one cannot exist, because trade unions are the principal schools in which the workers learn the lesson of self-reliance and solidarity Trade Unionism in India has been the natural out come of the modern factory system The main elements in the development of trade unions of workers in every country have been more or less the same The development of trade unionism in India has

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT

For the first time in India the Bombay Mill Hands

Association was formed on 24 April 1890 This gave impetus to the trade union movement in British India The establishment of ILO in 1919 provided a source of inspiration for the workers to become politically conscious India`s membership of the same exerted great influence in the formation of a central organization of workers called `All India Trade Union Congress` (AITUC) in 1920 for the purpose of conducting and coordinating the activities of the labor organizations

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT GROWTH

Social Welfare Period (1875-1918) The development of industries led to large-scale production on the one hand and social evils like employment and exploitation of women and child labour and the deplorable workable conditions, the governments attitude of complete indifference in respect of protection of labour from such evils, on the other. Early Trade Union Period(1918-1924) The year 1918 was an important one for the Indian trade union movement. The industrial unrest that grew up as a result of grave economic difficulties created by war. The rising cost of living prompted the workers to demand reasonable wages for which purpose they united to take resort to collective action. Left-Wing Unionism Period (1924-1934) In 1924, a violent and long-drawn-out strike by unions led to the arrest, prosecution, conviction and imprisonment of many communist leaders. The rapid growth of the trade unionism was facilitated by several factors

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT GROWTH

Trade Unions Unity Period (1935-1938) In mid-thirties the state of divided labour movement was natural thought undesirable and soon after the first split, attempts at trade union unity began to be made through the efforts of the Roy Group on the basis of a platform of unity. Second World War Period (1939-1945) The Second World War, which broke out in September 1939, created new strains in the united trade union movement. Hence, again a rift took place in 1941 and the Radicals left the AITUC with nearly 200 unions with a membership of 3, 00,000 and formed a new central federation known as the Indian Federation of Labour The Post-Independence Period (From 1947 to-date) As pointed out earlier, when attempts to restructure the AITUC failed, those believing in the aims and ideals other than those of the AITUC separated from the organization and established the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) in May, 1947

MOST IMPORTANT PHASE OF THE MOVEMENT

The period from 1924 to 1935 may be considered as the era of

revolutionary trade union movement MN Roy, Muzaffer Ahmed, S.A Dange and Shawkat Osmani led the trade union movements and as a result the political consciousness among industrial workers increased The First World War and its consequences brought a period of soaring prices, unprecedented exploitation for the industrialists but miserably low wages for the workers The emergence of Mahatma Gandhi led to the growth of nonviolent trend of nationalist struggle. Also the non-violent trend of movement could not mobilize the workers and The peasants for the national cause The contemporary socio-political condition was grave to constitute a national Trade union and drawn into the current of the independence struggle At the same time the October revolutions in Russia and the formation of the Comintern accentuated the labors uprising against the capitalist class throughout the world. The worker class throughout the world awaked to organize a Proletarian Revolution. The setting up of a League

Some Trade Unions in India

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Origin: It was established in 1920 as result of a resolution passed by the organized workers of Bombay and the delegates which met in a conference on 31st October, 1920. Structure: The organizational setup includes (i) The affiliated unions (unit/local level); (ii) provincial bodies (state level); (iii) the general council including office bearers; and (iv) the delegates to the general or special session. The general council consists of the president, seven vicepresidents, a general secretary, a treasurer, and not more than five secretaries and members elected by the AITUC on the basis of the total affiliated membership of unions of each state, roughly at the rate of one representative for every 500 members. The working committee consists of all office bearers of the AITUC as ex-officio members and 35 members elected by the general council by a system of cumulative voting. The general session of the AITUC meets once on two years, the general council meets once an year and the working committee at least twice an year. The day-to-day operation

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

Objectives: To establish a socialist state in India to socialize & nationalize means of production, distribution & exchange To improve the economic and social conditions of the working class To watch, promote, and further the interests, rights, and privileges of the workers in all matters relating to their employment To secure and maintain for the workers the freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of association freedom of assembly, the right to strike, and the right to work and maintenance To co-ordinate the activities of the labour unions affiliated to the AITUC To abolish political or economic advantage based on caste, creed, community, race or religion

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

The nationalist leaders took the initiative of forming the Trade union

as a national body
When AITUC came into existence on 31st October 1920, Lala Lajpat

Rai was elected as the President of the AITUC. The national leaders were closely associated with the Trade union congress. The celebrated nationalist leaders like C.R. Dass, V.V. Giri and later on Sarojini Naidu, J.L Nehru etc presided over the annual sessions of the AITUC
By 1927, the number of trade union Congress affiliated to the AITUC

increased to 57
AITUC was influenced by the social democratic ideas of the British

Labor Party

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

AITUC though developed with the socialist democratic ideals yet it

was largely under the influence of the moderates

The moderates strongly believed that the political activities of the

labor organizations should not go beyond agitation for the demand and grievances
The non-violent policies of Mahatma Gandhi upholding trusteeship

and class collaboration had enormous influence on the Trade Union movement in India
Under the moderate leaders the Trade Union Congress could only

adopt strike as a rare weapon

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

The emergence of the communist movement in India in the 1920s

lent a militant and revolutionary content to the Trade union Movement

The 4th congress of the Communist international sent a message to

the AITUC demanding an ultimate goal instead of a fair day`s wages for a fair day`s work
The ultimate aim of AITUC was the demolition of the capitalism and

imperialism. Further the Indian communists were urged to organize the Trade union Movement on a class basis
During

1926-27the AITUC was divided into two groups called the

reforming and the revolutionary groups

The Communist thinking seemed to carry greater influence in the

All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

The strikes became the principal weapon of the trade Unionists They published their own journal Kranti, which became the

instrument to propagate the ideals and principle of the Trade union: The motto of the Kranti was to overthrow capitalism
The Trade unionists strongly believed that until the capitalists were

completely overthrown the proletariat would be deprived from the privileges

The strikes called by the Trade unionists were inspired more by the

political ideas rather than the immediate economic demands

The AITUC later was affiliated to the Pan Pacific secretariat & to the

Third

International

at

Moscow.

To

protest

the

Communist

supremacy in the International level, the moderates under the leadership of Joshi withdrew from AITUC and formed the All India

The Indian National Trade Union Congress

Origin: The INTUC came into existence on 4th May, 1948, as a result of the resolution passed on 17th November 1947, by the Central Board of the Hindustan Mazdoor Sevak Sangh, which was a labour leader on the Gandhian Philosophy of Sarvodaya Structure: The basic pattern of organization is the industry level federation. Units are grouped together for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of employment, such as wages rates, hours of work and other related fringe benefits and working conditions at the industry level which are to be implemented at the lower level. This method enables a perspective being taken for the entire industry, rather than a piecemeal approach unitwise. These support services are provided by the regional branches and the councils. The apex body which is representative of the federation takes an overall point of view, regarding the broader issues, such as environment, legislation and governmental policies and gives directions to the regional branches.

The Indian National Trade Union Congress

Objectives: To establish an order of society which is free from hindrances to an all-round development of its individual members, which fosters the growth of human personality in all its aspects, and which goes to the utmost limit in progressively eliminating social, political or economic exploitation and inequality, the profit motive in the economic activity and organization of society and the antisocial concentration of power in any form; to place industry under national ownership and control in a suitable form; to secure increasing association of workers in the administration of industry and their full participation in that control;

United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) Origin: Some trade union leaders of the socialist bent met together December 1948 to form a new central organization of labour, called Hind Mazdoor Sabha. The general council is composed of the president, not more than five vice presidents, a general secretary, not more than two secretaries, a treasurer, and other members representing various industrial sections. The office bearers are elected at the annual convention. Objectives: To establish a socialist society in India; To establish a workers and peasants state in India To nationalize and socialize the means of production, distribution and exchange To safeguard and promote the interests, rights, and privileges to the workers in all matters, social, cultural, economic and political To secure and maintain workers freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of association, freedom of

Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) Origin: This union has been the outcome of decision taken by the Jana Sangh in its Convention at Bhopal on 23rd July, 1954 Objectives:
To establish the Bhartiya order of classless society in which

there shall be secured full employment To assist workers in organizing themselves in trade unions as medium of service to the motherland irrespective of faiths and political affinities The right to strike To inculcate in the minds of the workers the spirit of service, co-operation and dutifulness and develop in them a sense of responsibility towards the nation in general and the industry

National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU) Origin This union was founded in 1967, with the claim that this trade union of India is not controlled by any of the political party, employers or government. Objectives:
to organize and unite trade unions with the object of building up a National

Central Organisation of trade unions, independent of political parties, employers and the government, to further the cause of labour and that of national solidarity security and defence of India, and to make the working people conscious of their right as well as of obligations in all spheres of life;
to secure to members of trade unions full facilities of recognition and

effective representation of interests of workers and to ensure for the working people fair conditions of life and service and progressively to raise their social, economic and cultural state and conditions;
to help in every possible way member trade unions in their fight to raise real

wages of the workers;

to endeavour to secure for members of affiliated trade unions adoption of

Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) Origin This union was formed in 1970 when as a result of the rift in the AITUC, some members of the Communist party seceded. About the objectives of the CITU, its constitution says: Structure The organizational setup includes (i) central committee (national level, general council, including office bearers); (ii) a state committee (state level); and (iii) affiliated unions (unit level). The general council consists of the president, four vice residents, the general secretary, not more than four secretaries and a treasurer. Members are

Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU)

Objectives:
The CITU believes that the exploitation of the working class

can be ended only by socializing all means of production, distribution and exchange and establishing a socialist state, that is, it stands for the complete emancipation of the society from all exploitation.
The CITU fights against all encroachments on the economic

and social rights of the workers and the enlargement of their rights and liberties including the right to strike, for winning, defending and extending the freedom of the democratic trade union movement.
In the fight for the immediate interest of the working class

the CITU demands: (a) nationalization of all foreign monopoly concerns who barbarously exploit the working

CRITICISM
Political Affiliations As regards leadership, all the four organizations have their political affiliations, and the leadership, therefore, lies in the hands of the politicians, and not in those of the working class, which is yet illiterate and backward to wield any influence.
The AITUC is pro-communist. It is led by the Right CPI. Its attitude

towards the government is not entirely hostile, but of course highly critical of the government.

The UTUC is radical, non-communist and anti-INTUC. It is led by

some independent trade union leaders, the Forward Block and the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) an organization mainly supported by the Anglo American block; while the AITUC is affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), supported by the Communist block.

On the international level, the INTUC is affiliated to the International

Govt. action/reaction
Alarmed at the increasing strength of the Trades Union Movement

under the control of the Extremists, GoI considered it as a threat to their suzerainty in India Hence it decided to put restrictions by issuing several legislative actions: A Public Safety Bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly in the year 1928 but it did not get the majority support Later under the circumstantial pressure the Bill had to be issued in the form of the Ordinance in 1929 The Trade Disputes Act in 1929, provided for compulsory appointment of the Courts of Enquiry and Conciliation Boards for settling industrial Disputes It also announced that the strikes were illegal in public utility and services (like Postal services, Railways, Water & Electric Deptts.) The Act also provided that each individual worker planning participate in the strike should gave an advance notice of one month to the Administration and above all the Act announced that the Trade union should forbid political activities However the Trade Union Movement in India witnessed a rapid success

CONCLUSION
Trade Union is an important factor of the

current society, as it safeguards the basic interest and needs of both the employees as well as employers, by giving better terms and conditions of employment, secured jobs, better wages, favorable working environment which in turn leads to desired profitability