This document provides an overview of the trade union movement in India. Some key points:
- Trade unions in India are over a century old but remain fragmented, with many unions competing for workers' loyalty at individual workplaces.
- Union membership makes up only about 9.5% of the total workforce in India and is concentrated in the formal/organized sector. The vast majority of workers are in the informal sector with little union representation.
- Major trade unions like the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh have millions of members but the movement as a whole suffers from issues like politicization, rivalry between unions, and financial difficulties.
- The origins of the trade union movement date back to the