Trade Union

•Trade Union means 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
TRADE UNION

A trade union is an organised group of workers. Its main goal is
to protect and advance the interests of its members
A 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
WHAT IS 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 Factory’s 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
HISTORY 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 duely registered
under the Act
PROCEDURE OF REGISTRATION 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
FUNCTION OF TRADE UNION

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 had a checkered history and a stormy
career
WHAT IS TRADE UNION
MOVEMENT

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
government’s 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 Union’s 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
TRADE UNION MOVEMENT GROWTH

NAMES AND DETAILS OF SOME UNIONS IN INDIA

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
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 anti-social
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;
THE INDIAN NATIONAL TRADE UNION CONGRESS

Origin:
It was established in 1920 as result of a resolution passed by the organized workers of Bombay and
the delegates which met I a conference on 31st October, 1920.
Objectives:
 to establish a socialist state in India;
 to socialize and nationalize means of production, distribution and 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;
 to secure and maintain for the workers the right to strike
ALL-INDIA TRADE UNION CONGRESS (AITUC)

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
Objectives:
 The objectives of the UTUC are:
 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 assembly, right to strike, right to work or maintenance and the right to social security;
 to bring about unity in the trade union movement.
UNITED TRADE UNION CONGRESS (UTUC)

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 in
particular.
 The BMS is a productivity-oriented non-political trade union. Its ideological basis is the triple
formula:
 nationalize the labour;
 labourise the industry;
 industrialize the nation;
BHARTIYA MAZDOOR SANGH (BMS)

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 progressive legislation
for their welfare and to ensure the effective environment of the rights and interests of members of
affiliated trade unions and for the working people in general.
NATIONAL FRONT OF INDIAN TRADE UNIONS (NFITU)

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:
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 class; (b) nationalization of
all concerns owned by Indian monopolists and big industry who garner huge profits at the
expenses of the workers, who exploit the people by pegging prices at a high level and who dictate
the anti-labour and anti-people policies of the government.
 The CITU fights against the repressive policy of the government towards the democratic and
trade union movement;
CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE UNION (CITU)

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.
On the international level, the INTUC is affiliated to the International 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.
POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS
CRITICISMS

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.
CONCLUSION

Trade Union

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