TYPES OF TRADE UNIONS

1. Craft Union:
If the workers of the same craft or category of the job form into a union, that union is called
Craft Union. These Unions are called as horizontal unions. The basic logic behind the
formation of such unions is that the workers belonging to the same craft do face similar
problems - mostly non-managerial personnel form such unions. For example, mechanists
working indifferent industries may form a union of mechanists only. In the same way
electricians, carpenters, and turners may form their separate unions.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Craft Unions:
Advantages:
(i) Craft unions give most stable relationship.
(ii) They provide needed training through apprenticeship.
(iii) They have strong bargaining power as they comprise of skilled employees.
(iv) They secure high wages and better benefits to their members.
Disadvantages:
(i) Employer can play one union against another and can also break the unions.
(ii) Craft unions have become irrelevant in the modern days due to increasing generality of
service conditions of all classes of employees.
(iii) These unions keep majority of the workers outside the unionism.
2. Industrial Union:
If the workers of different categories form into a Union that Union is called Industrial Union.
These Unions are also called “vertical” unions. The logic behind the formation of these unions
is that workers of the same industry have the common bend and they are governed by same
rules and regulations and are administered by same management. Moreover, the problems of
all the same industry are more or less common. The importance of these unions has been
increasing in recent times.
Advantages of Industrial Unions:
(i) They provide a joint facility for collective bargaining.
(ii) They introduced the measure of uniformity in the principles governing all aspects of service
and working conditions.
(iii) They coordinate sectional claims of different levels and different natures of employees
within an industry.

3. General Union:
This type is open to all members irrespective of their craft and industry within a particular city
or region.

4. Federations:
These are national level apex bodies in which plant level unions, craft unions, industrial union
and general unions are affiliated. They coordinating the affairs of various unions in their fold.
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, 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 and gheraos.
Revolutionary unions may be of any of the following forms:
a. Anarchist Unions:
These unions endeavour to destroy the existing economic system and usually use violent
means.
b. Predatory Unions:
Initiated by Professor Hoxie, such unions believe in plundering benefits and ruthless pursuit of
the matter in hand by adopting any means irrespective of ethical, legal or moral considerations.
Predatory unions may be of two types as follows:
(i) Guerrilla unions – These unions can go to any extent, including resorting to terrorism and
other violent means, to accomplish their objectives. It is the boss who rules the roost.
(ii) Hold-up unions – The unscrupulous bosses of workers’ organisations and unscrupulous
employers conspire together to exploit the customers by selling their products at very high
rates; the major chunk of the money so earned goes to the pockets of these unscrupulous
elements, leaving very little, if at all, for the workers.
c. Political Unions:
Such unions aim at snatching the power of capitalists by political action so that workers may
become more powerful.

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.