MODULE-3 TRADE UNIONS

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DEFINITION
A trade union is a formal association of workers that
promotes & protects the interests of its members
through collective action. It is formed for securing
certain economic & social benefits to members. It
emphasizes joint, coordinated action & collective
bargaining.

Voluntary Organizations of workers formed to promote and

protect their interest by collective action
- VV Giri

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 WHY DO WORKER’S JOIN TRADE UNIONS?

Self Protection
Economic Security
expression against
benefits job and
participation injustice
social

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Historical Perspective of Trade Union Movement in India

PERIOD BETWEEN 1875 – 1918.

First cotton mill in India was established in 1854 in

Bombay

First Jute Mill in 1855 in Bengal.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA

 Modern factory system brought

(a) Employment of women / children.

(b) Excessive hours of work

(c) Lack of education

(d) Poor housing

(e) High rate of mortality

(f) Evils of capitalism.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA

Social Reformers and philanthropists entered the scene –

Shri S S Bengalere.

Factory Commission appointed in Bombay in 1875 and first

Factories Act was passed in 1881

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
PERIOD BETWEEN 1918 AND 1924:

 Economic and political consideration contributed to the new

awakening.

 Ahmedabad Cotton Mills – Union 1917 - Sri B P Wadia, and

Mrs Annie Besant

 Madras Labour Union formed Industrial Union in 1918 on

systematic basis.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
 In 1923 – Mahatma Gandhi – occupational unions like
Spinners Union and Weavers Union were established –
Textile Labour Association, Ahmedabad.

 Industrial Labour Organisation – set up in 1919.

 All India Trade Union Congress in 1920.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA

LARGE NUMBER OF STRIKES IN 1920:

 278 strikes – involving 4,35,434 workers

 400 Industrial disputes involving 5,23,151 workers.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
PERIOD BETWEEN 1924 – 1934:
 Period of left wing Trade Unions.

 Signs of militant tendencies and revolutionary Trade Unions –

Communist Trade Unions.

 Mainly due to economic hardships extremist feelings, cut in wages and

unemployment.

 Divisions took place – Moderates – Extremists.

 Royal Commission of Labour appointed in 1929. TU Act 1926 enacted.

 Wage cuts, retrenchments resulted in country wide strikes – General

Textile workers – Bombay, Nagpur and Solapur.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
PERIOD BETWEEN 1935 – 1939:

 Modern Trade Unionism

 AITUC – Formed 1935

 New constitution of India adopted under Labour

representatives – Got elected through TU constituencies.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
PERIOD BETWEEN 1935 – 1939:

 1934 – 159 Strikes

 1937 - 379 strikes

 1939 - Famous Digboi Oil strike – In which Viceroy and

the Governor intervened to bring about settlement.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
PERIOD BETWEEN 1939 – 1946:

 Commencement of World War II

 Labour forces consolidated.

 Increase in number of employment in factories, mines et.

 Growing disparity in cost of living.

 Indian federation of Labour formed in 1941.

 Quit India Movement in 1942.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
POST WAR - POST INDEPENDENCE 1946:
 INTUC – Formed in 1947.

 Socialist party – HMS – 1948,

 JANSANGH – BMS – 1955

 National Federation of Railway men.

 All India Bank Employees Association.

 National Federation of Post and Telegraph Workers.

 CITUs.
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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
ROLE OF OUTSIDERS IN TUs:

 Undermined the purposes of Trade Unions and weakened

authority – More weightage to political considerations rather
than economic and social.

 Responsible for slow growth.

 Multiplicity of Trade Unions.

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TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
UNION RIVALRY:
 Political consideration

 Factional differences

 Inter union conflict / Intra union rivalry

 Inter Union code of conduct – voluntarily agreed for harmonious

inter union relations by four major central organisations – 1958.

 System of union recognition – Plant, Industry, centre cum

industry.
.
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 Functions of TUs in India
As per India Trade Union Act 1926-

The primary function of a TU is to protect & promote the

interests of the workers & the conditions of their
employment.

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Functions of TUs in India
To achieve higher wages & better working & living conditions for the members

To acquire control over running of the industry by workers

To minimise the helplessness of the individual workers by uniting them &

increasing their resistance power through CB; protecting the members against
victimisation & injustice by employers

To raise the status of the workers as partners in the industry by demanding an

increasing share for them in the mgt of industrial enterprises

To generate self-confidence among the workers

To encourage sincerity & discipline among the members

To take up welfare measures for increasing the morale of the workers

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Functions of TUs (Contd…)
To safeguard the security of tenure & improve conditions of service

To enlarge opportunities for training & promotion’

To provide for educational, cultural & recreational facilities

To cooperate & facilitate advancement by broadening the knowledge of

workers in the issues involved in their jobs

To promote individual & collective welfare

Promotional of national integration

Instilling in their members a sense of responsibility to industry &

community

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 Present plans to workers so as to create enthusiasm among
them about the plans

Exercise the utmost restraint regard to work stoppage

Formulate wage demands which are tuned to the

requirements of economic developments

To represent the workers to mgt in cases of disputes

To arrange necessary activities for social upliftment of the

workers.

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THE CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS
TUs No. of Membership % Political Year of
Affiliated (Lakhs) Affiliation Estd
Unions
INTUC 4,428 54.36 20.8 CONGRESS 1947
AITUC 2,996 29.74 11.4 CPI 1920
CITU 3,011 23.86 9.2 CPI(M) 1970
HMS 1,248 43.56 16.7 - 1948
BMS 2,871 40.81 15.7 SUCI 1955
UTUC 413 7.85 3.0 - -
UTUC-LS 231 11.98 4.6 - -
HMKP 81 15.61 6.0 - -
NFITU 132 7.61 2.9 - -
NLO 356 6.61 2.5 - -
ICL 23 8.46 3.2 - -
TUCC 198 5.13 2.0 - -
IFFTU 26 5.15 2.0 - -

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 INTUC- Indian Trade Union Congress
AITUC- All India Trade Union Congress
CITU-Centre of Indian Union leaders
HMS-Hind Majdoor Sabha
BMS-Bharathiya Majdoor Sabha
UTUC- United Trade Union Congress
UTUC(LS) - United Trade Union Congress Lenin Sarani
HKMP- Hind Mazdoor Kisa Panchayat
NFITU- National Front of Indian trade Unions
NLO- National labour Organistion
ICL- Indian Confederation of Labour
TUCC- Trade Union Co-ordianation Committee
Most of the TUs are either break-away group of major TUs or result
of personal whims of some of TU leaders.
The five major TUs – INTUC, HMS, BMS, AITUC & CITU
accounts for about 75% of the total trade union membership

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The Indian National Trade Union Congress

Indian National Trade Union Congress

Indian National Trade Union Congress

Founded May 3, 1947
Members 3.8 million (2002)
Country India
G. Sanjeeva Reddy, President;
Key people Rajendra Prasad Singh, General
Secretary.
4, Bhai Veer Singh Marg, New
Office location
Delhi[1]

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 Origin
Established on 4th May, 1942 as a result of resolution
passed on 17th November 1947, by the Central Board of
Hinustan Mazdoor Sevak Sangh, which was a labour
organisation working under the direction of National
Congress-minded labour leaders on the Gandhian
philosophy of Sarvodaya.

INTUC was brought in to existence with S.C Banerjee as

the President & Khandubahi Desai as its General
Secretary.

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 Objectives of INTUC
To establish a society which is free from hindrances to an all-round development of
its individual members, which foster s the growth of human personality in all aspects

To place industry under national ownership & control in a suitable form.

To secure increasing association of workers in the administration of industry & their

participation in that control

To organise society in such a manner as to ensure full employment & the best
utilisation of its manpower & other resources

To promote social, civic & political interest of the working class

To establish fair & just industrial relations.

To secure redressal of grievances without stoppage of work

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 Contd….
To take other legislative methods including strikes or any suitable form of
satyagraha when disputes are not settled by other means

To foster the spirit the of solidarity, service, brotherhood, co-operational & mutual
help among the workers

To develop in the workers a sense of responsibility towards industry & community

To raise the workers’ standard of efficiency & discipline

The INTUC is associated with the ILO since 1949, & is the founder
member of International Confederation of Free Trade Union
Congress(ICFTC).
It publishes an English weekly(India Worker) & a Hindi weekly
(Mazdoor Sandesh)

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 All India Trade Union Congress

Founded 1920

Members 2,677,979 (2002)

Country India

Gurudas Dasgupta, general

Key people
secretary

Office location Delhi, India

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 Objectives
 To establish a socialist state in India;

 To socialize and nationalize the means of production, distribution and exchange as far as
possible;

 To ameliorate the ecoomic and social conditions of the working class;

 To watch, promote, safeguard 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

 The freedom of press
 The freedom of association
 The freedom of assembly
 The right of strike ; and
 The right to work or maintenance
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  To co-ordinate the activities of the trade unions affiliated to the AITUC;

 To abolish political or economic advantage based on caste, creed, community, race

or religion; to fight against all forms of social oppression and injustice;

 To fight against all forms of atrocities against women and harassment at place of
work.

 The AITUC shall endeavor to further the aforesaid objects by all legitimate,
peaceful and democratic methods such as legislation and, in the last resort, by
strikes and similar other methods, as the AITUC may, from time to time, decide.

AITUC is affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU).

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United Trade Union Congress(UTUC)

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 United Trade Union Congress(UTUC)

Established on December 1948.

Objectives
 To establish a socialist state in India

 To establish a workers’ & peasants stat in India

 To nationalaise & socialise the means of production, distribution & exchange

 To safeguard & promote the interests, rights & privileges of the workers in all
matters

 To secure & maintain workers’ freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of

association, freedom of assembly, right to strike, & right to social security

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Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh(BMS)

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Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh(BMS)

Established by the Jana Singh in its Convention at Bhopal on

23rd July, 1954. Its General Secretary was veteran labour
leader Datto Pant Thengadi

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 Objectives

 To establish Bharathiya order of classless society in which there shall be secured

full employment, replacement of profit motive by service motive development of
autonomous industrial communities with each individuals connected as partners of
the industry

 To assist workers in organizing themselves in TUs as a medium of service to the

motherland irrespective of faiths & political affinities

 The right to strike

 To inculcate in the minds of the workers the spirit of co-operation , service &
dutifulness & develop a sense of responsibility towards the nation in general &
industry in particular

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National Front of Indian Trade Union(NFITU)
Founded in 1967
Objectives
 To organise & unite the TUs with the object of building up a National Central organisation of TUs, independent of political
parties & to make the people conscious of their rights as well obligation in all spheres of life

 To secure facilities of recognition & effective representation of interests of workers & to ensure fair working conditions &
raise their social & economic condition

 To help in every possible way member TUs in their fight to raise real wages to the workers

 To ensure effective enforcement of the rights & interests of members of affiliated TUs

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Centre of Trade Union(CITU)
Formed in 1970 as a result of the rift in the AITUC
Objectives
 The CITU believes that the exploitation of working class can be ended only by
socializing all means of production, distribution & exchange & establishing a
socialist state- that it stands for complete emancipation of the society from all
exploitations

 CITU fights against all encroachments on the economic & social rights of the
workers & enlargement of their rights & liberties including right to strike, defending
& extending the freedom of the democratic TU movement.

 CITU demands
o Nationalization of all foreign monopoly concerns who barbarously exploit the
working class
o Nationalization of all concerns owned by Indian monopolists & big industry who
gain huge profits at the expense of the workers

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 Contd…..

 CITU fights against all repressive policy of the Govt

towards the democratic TU movement, it fights against the
economic policy of safeguarding the interests of the
capitalists

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Models of TUs
 Occupational Unions

 Industrial Unions –
E.g.- American Federation of Labour,(AFL), Congress of Industrial
Organisations(CIO)

 General Unions – E.g.- The Transport & General Workers Union(TGWU)

 Territorial Union
E.g.- AIYTUC, BMS, CITU. HMS etc

 Enterprise Union- In Japan & Singapore

 State Sponsored Unions

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TU Structure at National Level
The structuring of TU is composed of
 Several layers of geographical(National/regional & local)
& Sectoral(national, branch/enterprise/plant unions) levels

 Staff in various depts./sections depending on the type of

activities/services

 Rules & regulations concerning DM(centralisation,

decentralisation etc) to carry on activities

 Committees with specific task

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 A Union’s formal structure is influenced by following factors
Size- The larger the membership of the unions the greater the
bureaucracy in the union. The Chinese Trade Union Federation –
the world’s largest federation which has claimed membership of
over 130 millions. To serve them the federation has about
60,000 employees.

Spread(Enterprise, Industry)-
E.g- Air India Employees Union, All India Port & Dock Worker’s
Union

Role & Functions/Activities

Responsibility & Accountability

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Regional political Parties & their TU Wings
Tamil Nadu- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) & All India
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(AIADMK)

Andhra Pradesh- Telugu Desam

Wes Bengal _ Trinamul Congress

Maharashtra- Shiv Sena

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 Industrial/Sectoral Federations-
E.g. United Auto Workers Union in Automobile Industry in US
All India Bank Employees Association in India

Enterprise Level Unions

TUs in Steel Authority of India, Air India Employees Union etc.

Managerial Trade Unions

E.g. The Federation of Managerial & professional Staff Unions in
Netherlands
National Confederation of Officers' Association

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International Trade Union Federations
International Confederation of Free trade Unions(ICFTU)
Formed in 1913- Named as International Federation of free Trade
Unions.

It is a worldwide alliance of free & independent organisations of

national-level industrial trade union federations.

Till the First World War , the federation cooperated with the Labour
& Socialist International

It collapsed during First World War.

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 In the wake of split, non-communist unions came together &
names it as ICFTU.

It resulted in change in ideology from socialist to free trade

unions committee with free mkt economy ideals.

ICFTU represents 125 million trade union centres across 141

countries.

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 ICFTU

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

Founded 7 December 1949

Members 155 million in 148 countries (2006)

Country International

Affiliation International

Office location Brussels, Belgium

Website www.icftu.org/

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World Federation of Trade Unions(WFTU)
Formed during the end of Second World War in February 1945
as a democratic, international trade union organsiation

Its objective was to unite wage earners worldwide with a view to

securing their rights defend their interests & combat all forms
all dominations & bring about socioeconomic development

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 WFTU

World Federation of Trade Unions

Founded October 3, 1945

Members 129 million in 130 countries (2004)[1] possibly

Country International

Affiliation International

M. Shaban Assouz (president)

Key people
George Mavrikos (general secretary)

Office location Athens, Greece

Website www.wftucentral.org

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International Federation of Christian unions(IFCU)
Found only in some countries in Western Europe- divided on the
basis of class & religi0on.

All Christian unions together formed the ICFU to protect the

interest of the & welfare of the Christian Community in the
region

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Regional Trade Union Organisation at International Level
 European Trade Union Congress(ETUC)

 Organisation of African Trade Union Unity(OATUU)

 International Confederating of Arab trade Unions(ICATU)

 Permanent Congress of Trade Union Unity of Latin America(CPUSTAL)

 All China Federation of Trade Unions(ACFTUC)

 South Asian Regional Trade Union Congress(SARTUC)

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IR- C.S VENKATA RATNAM
Global Union Federations(GUFs)
Earlier referred to as International trade Secretariats, GUFs are a worldwide
alliance of independent, individual trade unions whose members work in a
specific industries, branches or occupations.

Established in 1960.

The main ITs at the time were in sectors such as mining, metal, transport,
textiles & construction

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 Objectives
 Promotion of worldwide solidarity

 Securing & enforcing human & trade union rights

 Establishing a just economic & social order

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 Major actions to accomplish the objectives

 Assistance & protection in cases of violation of human & trade union rights
& industrial actions over critical issues

 Strengthening the affiliates through assistance for building infrastructure,

organizing members, education & training activities

 Exchange of experience, publications, studies & information

 Representing affiliates on matters concerning MNCs

 International cooperation through alliances with other civil society

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Problems of Trade Unions
 Uneven growth

 Small size of Unions

 Financial Weakness

 Multiplicity of Unions & Inter union rivalry

 Leadership issue

 Politicalistion of Unions

 Problem of recognition of TUs

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 Problems of TUs
Uneven Growth of Unionism
Composition of TU members
- Manufacturing sector-m18.27 lakhs
- Service Sector- 12.37
- Transport, Cotton & textile- 6..66 lakhs

Trade Union is concentrated in a few states & in bigger industrial centres in those
states

Trade unionism is concentrated on few states such in particular sectors such as –

- Textile workers in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Indore etc
- Plantation labour in Assam,WB, TN & Kerala
- Jute mill workers in Bengal
-Engineering workers in Calcutta etc.

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 Low Trade Union development among agricultural labour

Of the total agricultural labour force only about 50 percent are

TU members

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 Small Size of Unions
Most of the Unions are characterized by their small size & membership
The main reasons for the small size of TUs are-
 According to TU Act 1926- Any seven workers may form a union, as a result large
number of many small unions have grown.

 Women workers with low literacy & families who form a substantial part of labour
force do not join the TUs

 Large number of Unions at factory level with small size limited to only the
particular factory they are working

 The rivalry among the leaders & the Central organisations has resulted in
multiplicity of unions with small size

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 Financial Weakness
Between 1945-46 & 1968-69, the average income of TUs declined from Rs.421.8 to
412.8 lakhs
The average income of TUs in 1970 was Rs.426.91 lakhs which rose to Rs.441.82
lakhs in 1980.
Similarly, the expenditure rose from Rs.426.91 lakhs to Rs.441.2 lakhs.

The reasons for low income of Tus are as follows

 The workers are apathetic towards TUs & do not want to contribute a part of their
hard-earned money.

 Few members do not make regular payment of membership fess etc

 Under conditions of multiplicity of unions, a union interested in increasing its

membership keeps its subscription fees very low & sometimes does not even collect
the subscription fees regularly.

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 YEAR No. of Unions Income Expenditure
submitting returns (Rs/Lakhs) (Rs/lakhs)

1990 8386 3552.97 2949.37

1991 8351 3156.99 2409.97
1992 9073 3237.93 2532.04
1993 6776 1371.15 1319.63
1994 6262 2037.10 1895.76
1995 8048 3924.28 3269.54
1996 7229 2917.26 1962.15
1997 8774 2507.13 2280.92
1998 7291 2629.26 2335.44

Source- Indian Labour Year Book- 200-01

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 Multiplicity of Unions & Inter-Union Rivalry
The multiplicity of Unions & the inter-union rivalry are the important feature & one of
the greatest weakness of the Indian TU movement

The multiple unions are mainly the result of political outsiders wanting to establish
unions of their own with a view to increasing their political influence

The existence of different conflicting or rival organisations, with divergent political

views , is largely responsible for the inadequate & unhealthy growth of the
movement.

Within a single organisation, there are lot of groups comprising ‘insiders & outsiders’,
‘new comers & old timers’, ‘Northerners & Southerners’, ‘Moderates & Radicals’,
‘High & Low caste people’.

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 Inter-union rivalry affects the strength & solidarity of the workers in many ways
 Each union at the plant level commands only a negligible proportion of the workers
of an establishment & does not enjoy the confidence of majority of the workers

 These unions have assumed only a limited range of functions

 Most TUs have failed to realise the importance of mutual help & welfare activities.

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 Leadership Issue
Most of the TU leaders are the persons who are professional leaders such as politicians,
lawyers, social workers etc.
Following are the reasons for outside leadership in TUs
 The illiterate & narrow-visioned profile of workers without proper managerial r
diplomatic knowledge makes them helpless to discuss & they search for effective &
dynamic persons to give tough fight to mgt. Thus it results in the entry of outside
leaders in the union.

 The managerial hierarchy is dominated by the uppers strata of a society which have
both power & resources, whereas the workers hail from the lower classes. So to
work out this problem, TUs seek the support of outside leaders

 The resource-ridden union often search for resourceful persons who can lead &
guide them.

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 Unions & Politics

The Problem of Recognition of TUs

The Code of Discipline laid down for the recognition of TU are as under
 The membership of a Union should cover at least 15% of the workers in the
establishment concerned

 Union may claim to be recognised as a representative unit for an industry in local

area if it has a membership of at least 25 percent of the workers of that industry in
that area.

 When there are several unions in an industry, the one with the largest membership
should be recognised

 Only those unions which follow the code of discipline would be entitled to
recognition.

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Measures to Strengthen TU Movement in India
Recommendations of National Commission on Labour(NCL)-
1969 for Strengthening TUs
1. Enlargement of Functions

2. Leadership

3. Union Rivalries

4. Registration

5. Improvement of financial positions

6. Verification of Membership

7. Recognition of the Unions

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Enlargement of Functions
The NCL has stated that the unions must pay greater attention to the basic needs of the
members, which are:
 To secure fair wages to the workers

 To safeguard security of tenure & improved conditions of service

 To enlarge opportunities for promotion & training

 To improve working & living conditions

 To provide for educational, cultural & recreational facilities.

 To cooperate in , & facilitate technological advancement by broadening the understanding of

workers

 To promote identity of interests of the workers with their industry

 To promote individual & collective e welfare.

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 Leadership
In this respect NCL has recommended that

 There should be no ban on the non-employees holding a position in the

executive of the union

 Steps should be taken to promote internal leadership

 Permissible limit of outsiders in the executive union should be reduced 25%

 Ex-employees should not be treated as outsiders.

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 Union Rivalries
 Building up of internal leadership & shifting to collective bargaining may reduce the
inter union rivalries.

 Central Organisation should take up measure to settle disputes

 If it fails to do so, a labour court should set up for the settlement of dispute

Registration
The Commission recommended that registration should be cancelled if

 The minimum membership fell below the minimum prescribed for registration

 The Union failed to submit its annual return

 It submitted defective returns & if the defects are nor rectifies within the prescribed
time.

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 Improvement of Financial Condition
The Commission recommended that membership fee should raised to Re.1 per month

Verification of membership
The IR Commission should decide the representative character of a union, either by
examination of membership records or, by holding an election by secret ballot open
to all employees, if necessary.

Recognition of Union
 The NCL was of the opinion that - Recognition of TU should be made compulsory
under a Central Law in all undertakings employing 100 workers or more

 A TU seeking recognition from an individual employer should have a membership

of at least 30 percent of workers in that establishment

 The minimum membership should be 25 percent, if recognition is sought for an

industry in a local area.

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Responsibilities(Duties of a Registered Trade Union
A Registered TU is required to

 Maintain general fund

 A separate political fund for political purposes

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 Maintain General Funds
The general funds of a TU shall be spent on the following purposes:
 The payment of salaries, allowances & expenses to the office-bearers of the TU.

 The payment of expenses of the administration of the TU including audit of the accounts

 The prosecution or defense of any legal proceeding to which the TU or any member
thereof is a party, when such prosecution is undertaken for the purpose of protecting any
rights of TU

 The conduct of trade disputes on behalf of the trade union

 Allowances to the dependants of the member on account of death, old age, sickness,
accident etc

 The provision of educational, social or religious benefits to its members

 The upkeep of periodicals published mainly for the purpose of discusing questions
affecting workmen.

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 Maintenance of Political Funds
A registered TU may constitute a separate fund from contributions &
collection made separately. Such funds can be made for the following
purposes
 The payment of any expenses incurred, either directly or indirectly by a candidate
for an election as a member of any legislative body

 The holding of any meeting or distribution of any literature or documents in support

of any such candidate

 The holding of political meeting of any kind

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Essentials for Success of TU
 TU should have enlightened labour force to guide & direct the
movement

 TU should have its foundation laid on solid ground so that it

may achieve success in the attainment of its object.

 The trade union should have a coherent & well-conceived

policy regard to their structure.

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 CONCLUSION

Trade Unionism in India suffers from a variety of

problems.
So, Trade Union members should be properly educated
about the need & importance of a well-established TU.
There should be a very good relationship between the
various TUs . Then only the Trade Union may become
successful in India.

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