TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA

What is a trade union?

An association either of employees or employers of independent workers.

A relatively permanent formation of workers.

Not a temporary or casual combination of workers.

Formed for securing certain economic, social benefits to members.

HISTORY

1918-1924 Era of modern trade unionism

Madras labour union,Ahmedabad textile labour association Calcutta clerk’s union,All India postal

1920-All trade union congress started

Trade union-strikes-economy down-increased wages-labour shortage.

HISTORY CONT……..

1925-1934 Spilt in AITUC-leftist and rightist

Using all India trade union federation 1920

Trade unions act 1926-registration of trade union and legal protection

Trade Disputes Act(1929)-adohc conciliation of board and court of enquiry for settlement of trade disputes affect whole community

1935-1938 Unity forced –revival-1935 All India trade

congress merged with AITUC

1938-Bombay industrial Disputes Act Compulsory recognition of trade union by

employers Prohibition of strike and lockout

1939-1946 Postwar retrenchment and unemployment-increase

in trade union and women workers and strikes1946 Industrial Enactment Act uniformity in

workmen,employment and minimise conflict1947 To diversified on political considerations Labour leaders of congress party.

1948 Socialist Party-Hindu Mazdoor Sabha

1949-United trade union congress

On July 1954 –Bharat Mazdoor Sangh1960-changes in Trade Union Act

1964-All India Trade Union congress by independent unions-but vain.

Objectives of trade union Wages and salaries

Working conditions Discipline

Personal policies

Welfare

Employee-employer relation

Principles of trade unionism

Unity is strength

Equal pay for equal work

Security of service

Why do workers join a trade union……

To get economic security .

To communicate their views,aims,ideas,feelings and frustrations to the management.

To secure protection from economic hazards beyond their control.

To get along with their fellow workers in a better way and to gain respect in the eyes of their peers.

Five major central trade union organisations….

o INTUC

o AITUC

o HMS

o BMS

o CITU

INTUC(Indian National Trade Union Congress)

• It was formed by G.SanjeevaReddy,RajendraPrasad on May3,1947.

• This labour organisation has 3,135 affiliated trade unions with a total membership of 30,70,795 members.

• It has strong roots in WestBengal,Assam,Gujrat,Bihar and Maharashtra.

• It was the labour wing of the congress party.

AITUC(All India Trade Union Congress)

• It was the second largest federation with 2,879 trade unions and a membership of 26,41,301 workers.

• It was formed by GurudasGuptha in 1920.

• It has strong roots in WestBengal,TamilNadu,Kerala,AndhraPradesh,Punjab and Delhi.

• The AITUC was the labour wing of the Communist Party of India.

HMS(Hindu Mazdoor Sangh)

• It was the third largest federation with 635 trade unions and a membership of 11,44,164 workers.

• It was formed by ManoharKotwal,Umramol Purohit on Dec29,1948.

• The HMS was the labour wing of Praja Socialist Party.

BMS(Bharat Mazdoor Sangh)

• It is the largest central trade union organisation in India .

• Founded by Dattopantji thengdi on July 23, 1955.

• This labour organisation has 5860 trade unions with a total membership of 62,15,797 workers.

CITU(The Centre of Indian Trade Union)

• This labour organisation has 2,231 affiliated trade unions with a total membership of 11,12,328 workers.

• It was formed by Mk Pandhe in 1970.

Problems of Trade Union• Uneven growth

• Small size of unions

• Financial weakness

• Leadership issues

• Multiplicity of trade unions and rivalries

• Political involvement in unions

What is a trade union recognition?

• A trade union is “recognised” by an employer when it negotiates agreements with employers on pay and other terms and conditions of employment on behalf of a group of workers, defined as the ‘bargaining unit’. This process is known as ‘collective bargaining’.

Voluntary trade union recognition• When a union uses voluntary means to get

recognition, it will contact the employer without using any legal procedure.

Statutory trade union recognition

An independent trade union may make an application to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for recognition in organisations that employ at least 21 workers