MIR
MIR
MIR
Definition: Labour unions or trade unions are organizations formed by workers from related
fields that work for the common interest of its members. They help workers in issues like
fairness of pay, good working environment, hours of work and benefits. They represent a cluster
of workers and provide a link between the management and workers.
Description: The purpose of these unions is to look into the grievances of wagers and present a
collective voice in front of the management. Hence, it acts as the medium of communication
between the workers and management.
The Indian Trade Union Act, 1926, is the principle act which controls and regulates the
mechanism of trade unions. In India, political lines and ideologies influence trade union
movements. This is the reason why today political parties are forming and running trade unions.
Types
• They may be classified into the following types:
• 1. Craft Unions:
•The membership of such unions is drawn from among workers employed in a particular craft or trade or allied crafts or trades or occupations irrespective of the organisation or the industry
they belong to. Such employees are craft conscious and usually professionals or non-manual employees. The Ahmedabad Weavers’ Union is an example that can be cited in this regard.
• 2. Industrial Unions:
• In industrial unions, membership is open to all types of workers engaged in any one industry or a group of industries or service, that is, on industry-wise basis, for example, Rashtriya Mill
Mazdoor Sangh, Mumbai.
• 3. Labour Unions:
•In these unions, membership is open to all workers irrespective of their occupation, skill or industry, the philosophy being that all workers have common status and a common need for
mutual help. Labour unions refer to both craft and industrial unions.
• 4. General Unions:
• General unions believe in the solidarity of the working class. Hence, their membership is open to workers of different skills and trades engaged in different industries.
• 5. Blue-Collar Workers’ Unions:
•Blue-collar workers’ unions constitute of employees usually performing operative jobs. They usually operate machines in the production and allied departments. Blue-collar workers
constitute the bulk of membership of trade unions in the organised sector.
• 6. White-Collar Workers’ Unions:
• Such unions usually comprise office staff or who work off the shop floor and perform desk jobs or provide service over the counter or any such other job. White-collar category includes
executives, managers, professionals, administrators, supervisors, clerks and the like.
• We come across such unions in banks, service sector, insurance companies, BPOs, software organisations, Central and state government offices, and so on. Their members being educated
and matured are aware of the capacity to pay off their organisations and, therefore, are more reasonable while they prepare their charter of demands.
•7. Reformist Unions:
• These unions may be either business unions or revolutionary unions.
• i. Business Unions:
•They are also known as ‘bread and butter unions’ and aim at securing economic interests of their members and follow the method of collective bargaining to accomplish their objectives.
•ii. Revolutionary Unions:
• Revolutionary unions are opposed to the capitalistic industry and replace it by the socialistic systems through radical means such as strikes, boycott.
• 8. Friendly or Uplift Unions:
• These unions mainly aim at improving the intellectual, moral and social life of their members. These unions are not craft conscious. They rather focus on the interest of workers. They are
idealistic in nature. Since they are law-abiding, they believe in the institution of collective bargaining and also setting up of cooperative enterprises, mutual insurance, profit-sharing and the
like.