19-01-2011, 04:39 PM
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TARUN NAYAK
CONTENT
INTRODUCTION
EVOLUTION OF TRADE UNION IN INDIA
FEATURES
OBJECTIVES
DEFINITION
Section 2(h) of the Trade Unions Act, 1926 has defined a trade union as
“Any combination, whether temporary or permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relations between workmen and employers, or between workmen and workmen, or between employers and employers, or for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business, and includes any federation of two or more trade unions.”
At present there are twelve Central Trade Union Organizations in India:
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)
Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)
Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat (HMKP)
Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS)
Indian Federation of Free Trade Unions (IFFTU)
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU)
National Labor Organization (NLO)
Trade Unions Co-ordination Centre (TUCC)
United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and
United Trade Union Congress - Lenin Sarani (UTUC - LS)
FEATURES OF TRADE UNION
It is an organization formed by employees or workers.
It is formed on a continuous basis. It is a permanent body and not a casual or temporary one.
It is formed to protect and promote all kinds of interests –economic, political and social-of its members. The dominant interest with which a union is concerned is, however, economic.
It achieves its objectives through collective action and group effort
EVOLUTION OF TRADE UNION IN INDIA
Emergence of TU in India can be defined in three phases:
The first phase falls between 1850 and 1900 during which the inception of trade unions took place. During this period of the growth of Indian Capitalist enterprises, the working and living conditions of the labor were poor and their working hours were long.
Capitalists were only interested in their productivity and profitability. In addition to long working hours, their wages were low and general economic conditions were poor in industries. In order to regulate the working hours and other service conditions of the Indian textile labourers, the Indian Factories Act was enacted in 1881
As a result, employment of child labour was prohibited. Mr. N M Lokhande organized people like Rickshawalas etc., prepared a study report on their working conditions and submitted it to the Factory Labour Commission.
The Indian Factory Act of 1881 was amended in 1891 due to his efforts. Guided by educated philanthropists(generous donors) and social workers like Mr.Lokhande, the growth of trade union movement was slow in this phase. Many strikes took place in the two decades following 1880 in all industrial cities. These strikes taught workers to understand the power of united action even though there was no union in real terms. Small associations like Bombay Mill-Hands Association came up.
The second phase of The Indian trade union movement falls between 1900 and 1947. this phase was characterized by the development of organized trade unions and political movements of the working class. It also witnessed the emergence of militant trade unionism.
The First World War (1914-1918) and the Russian revolution of 1917 gave a new turn to the Indian trade union movement and organized efforts on part of the workers to form trade unions.
In 1918, B P Wadia organized trade union movements with Textile mills in Madras.
He served strike notice to them and workers appealed to Madras High Court because under ‘Common Law’, strike is a breach of law.
In 1919, Mahatma Gandhi suggested to let individual struggle be a Mass movement. In 1920, the First National Trade union organization (The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)) was established. Many of the leaders of this organization were leaders of the national Movement. In 1926, Trade union law came up with the efforts of Mr. N N Joshi that became operative from 1927.
The third phase began with the emergence of independent India (in 1947), and the Government sought the cooperation of the unions for planned economic development. The working class movement was also politicized along the lines of political parties. For instance Indian national trade Union Congress (INTUC) is the trade union arm of the Congress Party. The AITUC is the trade union arm of the Communist Party of India. Besides workers, white-collar employees, supervisors and managers are also organized by the trade unions, as for example in the Banking, Insurance and Petroleum industries.
OBJECTIVES OF TRADE UNION
Wages salaries
Working conditions
Discipline
Personnel policies
Welfare
Employee-employer relation
Negotiating machinery
Safeguarding organizational health and interest of the industry
Education and training.
Legal assistance.
Financial discount
Welfare Benefits
