The document traces the origin and development of trade union movement in India from the 19th century. It discusses the early efforts of social reformers to improve working conditions, the emergence of labor organizations in response to exploitative practices, and key milestones like the Trade Union Act of 1926. It also covers the growth of major central trade union organizations, periods of unity and splits within the movement, and the impact of economic and political factors on unions over time.

1. Sukti Chakrabarti
Assistant Professor(HR)

2.  ORIGIN OF TRADE UNION
 THE EARLY EFFORTS
 EMERGENCE OF A LABOUR ORGANISATION
 EARLY DEVELOPMENTS
 DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE UNION
MOVEMENT
 AITUC:THE FIRST CENTRAL ORGANISATION
 TRADE UNION ACT-1926
 THE SPLIT AND ITS AFTERMATH
 ROYAL COMMISSION ON LABOUR

3.  TRADE DISPUTE ACT
 AITUC
 UNITY OF UNIONS
 TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIONS
 EVE OF INDEPENDENCE
 UNIONS AFTER INDEPENDENCE
 UNIONS IN THE ERA OF LIBERALISATION

4.  Trade Union movement as we see it today, is
the product of Industrial Revolution which
began in Great Britain between 1750 and
1850.
 The development of trade unionism in India
was influenced by a host of socio-economic
factors.

5.  A network of large-scale industries started
coming up from 1850 onwards employing a
big number of workers in factories without
the requisite work environment.
 The condition of the workers at the time
could be judged from the following:
1. Hopelessly low wages.
2. Long hours of work.
3. No job security.

6. 4. No social security.
5. Women and children were employed in
factories.
6. Indifferent and unsympathetic authorities.
7. Vast illiteracy.
8. Backwardness.

7.  Textile mills in Bombay started functioning from
1851 onwards and Jute mills in Calcutta from
1854.
 As early as 1855, Sorabjee Shahpurjee Bengali, a
social reformer , led a movement in Bombay for
legislative measures against the miserable plight
of workers in factories.
 This was said to have formed the nucleus of the
labour movement in India but the progress was
very slow.

8.  Narayan Meghaji Lokhande emerged as the
first labour leader in India.
 British Government enacted the first Factories
Act in 1881.
 Bombay Mill Hands Association emerged as
the first Labour Organisation in India.

9.  Workmen’s Breach Of Contract Act was
passed in 1860, according to which workers
could be prosecuted for leaving their job
without employer’s consent.
 A strike took place in Nagpur Empress Mill in
1877.
 The British Government formed several
Factories Commissions: 1879, 1884, 1890.

10.  Based on the recommendations of the
Factories Commission of 1890, the Indian
Factory Act of 1891 was passed.
 The most important provisions of the Act was
to fix the minimum age of child labour to 9
years and maximum age to 14 years and also
incorporation of rest for one and half hours.

11.  In 1897, Amalgamated Society of Railway
Servants of India and Burma was formed.
 The membership of the society was limited to
Anglo-Indian and European employees of
railways.
 It was a friendly, mutual benefit society rather
than a trade union.
 With this the first phase of labour movement
came to an end.

12.  1905-The Printers Union established in Calcutta.
 1907-Bombay Postal Union formed.
 1910-Kamgar Hitwardhak Sabha, a better
organised union of Bombay factory workers.
 1911-Third Factories Act was passed regulating
working hours of adult males in textile factories
to 12 hours a day; working hours of children
were also restricted to 6 hours a day.

13.  1914-19:First World War.
 1918-Textile workers of Ahmedabad waged a
prolonged strike demanding 50% wage hike. During
1918, Madras Labour Union, the first union in India to
be formed in modern lines was established under the
leadership of B.P.Wadia
 1919-20:About 1.5 lakh textile workers of Bombay
went for strike demanding reduction in working
hours.
 1921-There were around 396 strikes involving 6lakh
workers which were to some extent successful.

14.  All India Trade Union Congress was constituted
in Bombay in October 1920.
 Lala Lajpat Rai was the President of the first
session.
 All India Railwaymen’s Federation was also
formed in 1922 and practically all the unions in
Railways were affiliated to it.
 Bengal Trade Unionist Federation and the Central
Labour Board Bombay were also formed at almost
the same time.

15.  Workmen’s Compensation Act was passed in
1923.
 Workmen’s Breach of Contract Act was repealed
by the Govt. in 1924 (strongly endorsed by ILO).
 Trade Union Act of 1926 is considered as a
landmark incident in the history of Trade Union
movement in India.
 For the first time this act provided for the
registration of trade unions and to define law for
the registered trade unions.

16.  In the period after 1926 the leftists started
gaining hold on the trade union movement.
 They formed the Mazdoor and Kisan Party in
1927.
 In 1928 the Girni Kamgar Union was formed
after a prolonged strike in Bombay textile
industry.

17.  In 1928 the Royal Commission on Labour was
appointed with J. H. Whitley as the Chairman.
 The report prepared by the Commission with
progressive recommendations were published
in 1931.
 But because of the then prevailing
circumstances the recommendations could
not be implemented immediately.

18.  Enacted in 1929.
 The act provided a machinery for settlement
of Industrial Disputes for the first time.

19.  1929-33:Global economic recession had its
adverse impact on the health of trade unions.
 First major rift in AITUC took place in
1929(Nagpur session) and AITUF led by
N.M.Joshi was formed.
 In 1931 (Calcutta session), All India Red
Trade Union Congress was formed led by
S.V.Deshpande and B.T.Randive.

20.  By 1935 NTUF came into existence.
 Ultimately through the initiative of Sri V.V.Giri
in 1938 AITUC and NTUF were united.

21.  The Government decided to set up a tripartite
machinery as a national counterpart of the
ILO .
 The first Indian Tripartite Labour Conference
was held in New Delhi in August 1942 under
the Chairmanship of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar

22.  Birth of Hindustan Mazdoor Sevak Sangh in
1946 and birth of INTUC in 1947.
 The Industrial Employment Standing Orders
Act,1946.
 Indian Trade Union Amendment Act 1947.
 Industrial Disputes Bill .

23.  Hindustan Mazdoor Panchayat—a new central
trade union organisation emerged in
1948.(Leftist)
 This union merged with Indian Federation of
Labour to form Hindustan Mazdoor Sabha.
 In 1949 United Trade Union Congress came into
existence.
 Thus in 1949 there were four major rival union
groups in India viz.INTUC,AITUC,HMS and UTUC.

24.  Since 1952 the unions again started the
process of reuniting.
 In 1958 HMS and UTUC reached an
agreement to form a united front against
AITUC.
 In 1959 Hind Mazdoor Panchayat emerged
from HMS.
 In 1962 a new organisation called
Confederation of Free Trade Unions was
formed .

25.  In 1970 AITUC again suffered another rift and
CITU(Centre of Indian Trade Union) was
formed(as a result of rift in the Communist
party)
 CITU came under CPM.
 In 1972 INTUC again underwent a
rift.National Labour Organisation(NLO) came
into existence.
 The ruling Congress Party retained the
control of INTUC.

26.  National Council of Central Trade Unions was set
up with representatives of the AITUC,INTUC and
HMS to provide a common platform against CITU.
 In reply CITU formed United Council of Trade
Unions(UCTU) in September 1972.
 During Emergency the INTUC,AITUC and HMS
combined to form the National Apex Body which
ceased to exist after the emergency was lifted.

27.  1980-91 corresponds to a period of
decentralised bargaining and independent
trade unionism.
 Two major strikes Bangalore Public sector
strike in 1980/81 and Mumbai textile
workers strike in 1982 marked this phase.

28.  More employment flexibility.
 Greater decentralised bargaining structure
especially in public sector enterprises and
hence less govt. intervention.
 Fewer strikes.
 A possible halt to the fragmentation of the
union movement.

29.  The number of registered unions increased from
3766 in 1950/51 to 55784 in 1993
 A sudden emergence of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sabha
affiliated to Bharatiya Janata Party took place.
 In non-viable public enterprises unions are coming to
terms with voluntary retirement schemes.
 The trend in most industries is to reduce permanent
employment and more emphasis on contract and
temporary work..

30.  Number of plant-based, independent and
unaffiliated trade unions has risen especially
in the private sectors.
 Competitive market pressure has forced
bargaining outcomes to be decided at the
local levels.