TOPIC FIVE;

Trade Unionism in Tanzania

June, 2014.
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 The concept of trade union?
In the beginning when business was in
its family ownership ‘family business’ the
workers relations with the employer
were simple and straight.

However, these relations gradually

changed to complex and strained with
the advent of industrial revolution.
 The concept of trade union?

Workers felt the need for having some

organization to establish contacts with
the employer to protect their interest.

This gave birth to trade unions in the

industrial and commercial or service
organizations
 The concept of trade union?

In the early stage of industrialization,

working class in the absence of legal
protection felt exploited at the hands of
employers.

Workers joined hands to protect their

interest through collective action.
 The concept of trade union?
 Trade union has emerged over the period as
a major institutional mechanism for resolving
conflict of interest between the workers and
the employers in a free society like ours.

 The objective of this chapter is to provide a

perspectives on the trade union scenario in
the Tanzania context.
 what is a union?
 A union is a continuous associating of
persons in a school/organization/industry
whether employees or independent
workers formed primarily for the purpose
of the pursuit of the interests of its
members of the trade they represent

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 What is a trade union?
is a continuing, long-term association of
employees, formed and maintained for the
specific purpose of advancing and
protecting the interest of members in their
working relationships.
Trade union is a voluntary organization of
workers formed to promote and protect
their interests by collective action.
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 What is a trade union?
 is any combination of persons, whether
temporary or permanent, formed primarily for
the purpose of regulating the relations between
workmen and employers, or between workmen
and workmen, between employers and
employers for imposing restrictive conditions
on the conduct of any trade or business.

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 Characteristics of trade unions
i. Association.
A trade union is an association or
combination of employees it has a large
number of worker members from one or
more occupations
ii. Voluntary.
 Membership of a trade union is voluntary.
 There is no legal or other pressure to join a
trade union and a person can join or leave
the union on his free will.
 Characteristics of trade unions

iii) Permanent.
 A trade union is a continuing or
permanent rather than a temporary or
casual combination .
 it has to be a long-term body as
otherwise it cannot achieve its objectives
 Characteristics of trade unions

iv. Community of Interest

Members of a trade union have common
interests and problems, which motivates
them to unite.
A union seeks to regulate relation between
employers and workers.
 Characteristics of trade unions
v) Collective Action.
Trade unions always act through united action
of members to protect and promote their
economic and other interests.

vi) Sub- system.

A trade union is a sub-system of the social
system. Therefore, its character undergoes
change with changes in economic, social, legal
and political conditions in the country.
Why do workers join a trade union?
i) Job Security
 Employees need to have a sense of job
security and want to be sure that
management will not make unfair and
arbitrary decisions about their
employment.
 They look unions to ensure that their
jobs are duly protected against lay offs,
recall, promotion, etc.
 Why do workers join a trade union?

ii) Wages and Benefit

Employees work for livelihood, i.e., bread-an-
butter. Obviously, bread – and – butter issues of
employees are always important issues in their
unionization.
Employees may think that the union, with its
united strength, will ensure fair wages at par with
those of other workers in the community,
benefits such as medical facility, pensions, paid
sick leave, vacations and holidays for them.
Why do workers join a trade union?

iii) Working conditions

 Employees like to work in a healthy and
safe environment. Although there are
statutory provisions for providing
employees a safe work envirnment.
 employees feel more secured knowing
that trade union directly involved in safety
and health issues relating to them.
 Why do workers join a trade union?

iv) Fair and just Supervision

• Thanks to the trade unions that brought
about a change or shift in leadership styles
from autocratic to democratic
• people are oriented to ensure that the
managers treat their employees fairly, justly
and respectfully. Employees can only be
disciplined for ‘’just cause’’.
•
Why do workers join a trade union?

iv) Fair and just Supervision

• In case of mistreatment from the
employer, the employee may file a written
grievance against the employer. The
complaint will be heard and resolved
through a formal grievance procedure
involving collective discussion by both
union and management representatives.
Why do workers join a trade union?

v) Powerlessness
Employees individually often feel voiceless
or powerless to bring about changes that
will benefit them.
But it is union that provides them a
powerful, collective voice to communicate
to management their dissatisfaction and
frustration
 Why do workers join a trade union?

vi) Need to Belong

Man is a social animal. Hence, need to
belong is strong in both his personal and work
lives. The union from this point of view,
provides a mechanism for bringing people
together not only to promote common job-
related interest but also to organise
programmes. Functions and social events
from time to time, to create a strong bond
among the union members.
 Functions of trade union

 The main functions of a trade union are as

follows
a) Protection.
 Trade unions safeguard workers against all
sorts of exploitation by the employer and
political parties.
 A union provides protection from unfair labour
practices and atrocities of management. It also;
tries to revise the status of workers in industry
and society.
 Functions of trade union

b) Proper Standard of Living.

Unions attempt to secure for workers fair
wages, proper working conditions and welfare
facilities like health, housing, recreation and
social security so as to ensure desire able
living standards
 Functions of trade union

c) Collective Bargaining.
A trade union negotiates and bargains with
the management to settle terms and
conditions of employment.

d) Grievance Redressal.
A trade union takes up the individual and
collective grievances of workers with the
employer.
 Functions of trade union

e) Participation.
 Trade unions work for achieving a better
say of workers in the management of
matters which directly influence the
interests of workers.
 Unions attempt to establish democracy
in industry.
 Functions of trade union

f) Representation.
Trade unions represent working class in
various national and international forums.
International Labour Organization (ILO).
g) Advice. A trade union may provide
advice and information to management on
human resource policies and practices in
the use of their rights,
 Functions of trade union

h) Communication.
 A trade union serves as a link between
employers and workers so as to develop
mutual understanding and cooperation
between the two sides.
 trade union play a vital role in promoting
national integration.