Topic

L7: The Trade Union Movement (Trade union movement in India:

1950 onwards)- Ch-5

L8:The Trade Union Movement (Trade union cooperation and

consultative machinery)
The Trade Union Movement (Measures to strengthen the trade union
movement in India) Ch -5

L9:Structure and Governance of Trade Unions(Types of trade unions)

Structure and Governance of Trade Unions (Trade union federations)
Structure and Governance of Trade Unions(Primary unions at the
base)
Structure and Governance of Trade Unions(Industrial federations)
Structure and Governance of Trade Unions(Central federations)- Ch-5
 Revision
• Legal and other handicaps of early trade
unions

• Objectives of trade Unions

• Methods of trade unions to achieve their goals

 News

• Ludhiana: Trade union members booked for violating social

distancing norms during protest

• 60 members of Anganwadi Mulajim Union, CITU and Kul Hind

Kisan Sabha gathered at mini secretariat and violated social
distancing norms

• A case has been registered under Sections 188 (disobedience to

order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act
likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian
Penal Code 
• https
://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/ludhiana-trade-union-me
 Indian Trade union Movement

• Indian trade union have shorter history less than

century old
• Slow as compare to Great Britain and USA,resulted
due to :
 Delayed start of Modern capitalist
 Slow growth of Industrial development
 During 1st world war rising prices
 Horrifying, shocking, appalling living conditions
 Growing awareness of the Exploitation by
employers
 Indian Trade union Movement

• New model Unions were emerging in Great Britain 1850

• First cotton mill was set up in 1851 in Calcutta
• Recorded strike in 1877 at Empress Mills Nagpur over wage
rates
• First factory Act 1881
• 25 strikes were recorded in the Bombay and Madras
Presidencies between 1882 and 1890
• Bombay Mill Hands Association was formed in 1890- by
N.M.Lokhndey- journal publish- Dinbandhu. Purpose of this
association :
 Invite attention of government and public to many
grievances of textile workers of Bombay
 No sense of trade union: no membership, no fund , no rules
 Indian Trade union Movement

• N.M.Lokhande: was philanthropic(kind hearted, welfare

promoter) of labour legislation and workers welfare and not
a pioneer of labour struggle, not aware of the concept of
class struggle
• Kamgar Hitbardhak Sabha of 1909 was also
philanthropic(welfare) organization and had very little
concern about trade union (improving wages and working
conditions )
• First world war :1914 –1918
 Happen suddenly, unexpectedly
 Struggle for national independence
 More than 200 strikes
• Madras labour union 1918 under the leadership of B.P.Wadia
• Establishment of ILO(International Labour Conferences) 1919
gave shape to the movement
 General Assembly of the ILO – Meets every year in the
month of June.
 Governing Body: - Executive Council of the ILO. Meets three
times in a year in the months of March, June and November.
 International Labour Office: - A permanent secretariat.
• Formation of the AITUC 1920 gave shape to the movement
 CPI Communist Party of India,
 First president of AITUC was lala lajpat rai.
 General secretary of the AITUC S.A. Dange, (also
contributed in two pillar policy)
 D.L. Sachdeva, National secretary
 Ideological /Ideologies

 An ideology is a set of opinions or beliefs or idea of a group

or an individual. Very often ideology refers to a set of
political beliefs or a set of ideas that characterize a
particular culture.
Capitalism: two classes proletariats and bourgwaise
Capitalist/ ownership class bourgeoisie Treat labour class as
a commodity Surplus labour
Philanthropic and moderates (kind hearted, welfare
promoter) of labour legislation and workers welfare and not
a pioneer of labour struggle, not aware of the concept of
class struggle (N.M.lokhande)
Communism: start taking interest in trade union
work(S.A.dange (AITUC), work day and night
 Indian Trade union Movement

• S.A dange in Bombay – English weekly “Socialist”

• Muzaffar Ahmad in Calcutta- Bengali weekly
“Janwani ”
 Started taking interest in trade union work
 Publications
 Birth of communist movement
Activity
Revision
Practices of employers and of trade unions which
are undesirable and harmful on established norms
are known as ___________
A. Fair labour practices
B. Feather bedding
C. Unfair labour practices
D. Restraint of trade
Practices of employers and of trade unions which
are undesirable and harmful on established norms
are known as ___________
• Fair labour practices
• Feather bedding
• Unfair labour practices
• Restraint of trade
AITUC is affiliated to:  
A. INC
B. BJP
C. CPM
D. CPI
INTUC is affiliated to: 
A. INC
B. BJP
C. CPM
D. CPI
BMS is affiliated to: 
A. INC
B. BJP
C. CPM
D. CPI  
CITU is affiliated to:
A. INC
B. BJP
C. CPM
D. CPI
AITUC is affiliated to:  
• INC
• BJP
• CPM
• CPI
INTUC is affiliated to: 
• INC
• BJP
• CPM
• CPI
BMS is affiliated to: 
• INC
• BJP
• CPM
• CPI  
CITU is affiliated to:
• INC
• BJP
• CPM
• CPI
Activity
NEWS
 News:Trade union strike hits functioning of gas agency

•  A widow running a gas agency in the city has come up with a complaint that
trade union activists are not allowing her to run her firm.
• Surya Gas Agency, has lodged a complaint before the district collector, Kochi City
• CITU-led union was behind the issue.
• CITU leader, demanded a wage hike for delivery boys from the present `12,800 to
Rs 21,800 per month last month.
• “As we are providing wages under the Minimum Wages Act and are giving
benefits including ESI,  we hesitated to sign the agreement. Following this, they
threatened our workers and forced them to supply only 10 cylinders per day.
• The union leaders are mentally torturing the workers
• CITU leader Anil Kumar P K dismissed the allegation that the workers have been
engaged in a strike in the gas agency. “The complaint of a strike is baseless. If
such a stir is going on, the residents would have come up with complaints of not
getting gas cylinders. There are no such issues,” he said 

• https://
www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2020/aug/14/trade-union-strike-hits-fu
nctioning-of-gas-agency-2183188.html
16th Indian Labour Conference on May 21, 1958

• Initiated by 4 central federations

 Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC),
 All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC),
 Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS),
 United Trade Unions Congress (UTUC)
 Problem
• Discuss evils of trade union rivalry
• Steps to be taken to solve the problem
 Solution
• Code of conduct – Basics principles
• Maintaining Harmonious inter- union relations
Code of Conduct and Trade Union Rivalry
workers shall not be exploited (Ignorance and/or
backwardness )
Casteism , communalism and provincialism
(narrow- mildness) shall be avoided by all unions.
There shall be no violence, coercion,
intimidation(Terrifying, scaring) or personal
vilification (attack , criticism) in inter-union
dealings.
• On which date Code of conduct was adopted by
Four Central Federations of Trade Unions?

A. 05 May, 1958
B. 01 May, 1959
C. 21 May, 1958
D. None of the above
• On which date Code of conduct was adopted by
Four Central Federations of Trade Unions?

• 05 May, 1958
• 01 May, 1959
• 21 May, 1958
• None of the above
 Indian Trade union Movement

• Enactment of Indian trade Union Act 1926

 Application for registration should be in the prescribed
form and accompanied by the prescribed fee, a copy of
the rules of the union signed by at least 7 members.
Principle of regulation
 Registration of trade unions
 Render lawful organisation for collective bargaining.
 confers (grant benefit, or right) protection and
privileges registered trade union
 At least 50% of the office bearers of a union employed
in the industry remaining 50% can be outsiders
(Lawyers, politicians, social workers )
 Indian Trade union Movement

• In 1927 first time celebrated at Bombay as “ Labor Day

”– symbol of opening of new era of Indian labour
movement
• 1931 spilt in AITUC: had serious adverse effects on the
strength of union
 Communist section separated itself from the main body
to form Red trade union congress
• Great Econoimc Depression 1930-1939
 Falling prices (falling membership)
 Wage cuts
 Mass unemployment (retrenchment)
 Starvation on large scale
• World War II, also known as the Second World War,
lasted from 1939 to 1945 Government of India
adopted emergency measures Putting severe
restrictions on rights and liberties of people
Second world war
 Split in trade unions
 Increase Industrial disputes
 Dearness Allowance(DA) and Bonous
 Inauguration of Practice of Compulsory adjudication
 Tripartite Bodies in the field of labour and industrial
relations
Achievement of Independence 1947
 Dearness Allowance(DA) and Bonous
• Effects – rising prices, scarcity of food, essential
commodities
• Workers Demand- adequate DA and Bonous
• Textile workers Bombay- General strike April 1940
• Millowner’s Assosiation Bombay - evolved
/developed formula of adjusting DA
Dearness Allowance paid- as per increase in price
Dearness Allowance paid- as per basic wages
• Others Employers- Also adopted
Inauguration of Compulsory adjudication
• Workers – doing strike
• Employers – Layoff and layout
• Adjudication- High judicial officers
• Problem: Settling industrial Dispute during war time
• Solution :Compulsory adjudication- Under Rule 81 of the
defence of India Rules, stikes prohibited
Method of resolving dispute
Dispute arose refereed to adjudication and it award was
declared binding on parties concerned
• Results: vast body of case grew up evolved a system
“Jurisprudence”(a legal system)
 Tripartite Bodies in the field of labour and
industrial relations

• Set up a Tripartite Machinery in 1942

Industrial Peace
Active cooperation of employers and their workers
organization in maintenance of industrial peace
Advising the Government in formulating labour policy
• First Indian labour Conference was convened in Delhi in
August 1942
22 representatives from provincial (local/regional) and
representative employers and their workers organization
Further decided Indian labour conference meet once a year
Creation of standing labour committee meet more often
 Central Federations of trade unions
• INTUC (1947)- under influence of Indian national
Congress
• HMS(1948)- Hind Mazdoor Sabha , controlled by
Socialist
• UTUC(1949)- operated under influence of
radicals(revolutionaries)
 Trade
Union
Movement
in India:
1950
Onwards
 Introduction

Industrial Policy Resolution: industries classified , state role

would pay
 Industrial Policy Resolution 1956: state role
 Industrial Policy Resolution 1991: acceptance of the
principles of Privatization, Liberalization and Globalization
Influence of Industrial Policies on the Broader Role of trade
union:
 state-ownership and nationalization of key industries,
adoption of planning as an instrument of economic growth.
 Conflict and cooperation with government
 Two pillar policy
Growth of trade Union: Rise 20 times
 Introduction

Extent of unioninsation in different industries :see

table
 Membership , submitted returns finding gaps
 Employment: shown different then actual
 Percentage of workers organized/selected industry
 Collection , compilation and publication of data by
labour bureau
State-wise picture of trade union: see table
 Introduction

Growth of trade union Federation:

 Notable development in India
 United action at higher level
 Growth of federation related to several industries
 Set up at center(INTUC,AITUC) and state level
Central Federation of trade union: see table
International Affiliations:
 ICFTU: International Confederation of Free Trade Union
(INTUC+HMS)
 WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions (AITUC+CITU)
Industrial disputes: work stoppages, mandays lost in country
Trade Union cooperation and consultative Machinery
 Trade Union Movement in India: 1950 Onwards
• India was declared Sovereign(a supreme ruler,
especially a monarch) democratic republic in 1950
under the constitution : for working class having set
of a) fundamental rights b) Directive Principles
• India is "a sovereign, socialist, secular(not
connected with religious )
• Democratic (through vote)republic(supreme power
is held by the people and their elected
representatives,)".
 The Trade Union Movement (Trade union movement in
India: 1950 onwards
• December 1954 parliament accepted the socialist
pattern of society as the national objective of its social
and economic policy.
• Means of production, distribution, and exchange should
be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.
• India under the guidance of Jawaharlal Nehru had
accepted socialism as her goal.
• Socialism implies the social or collective ownership of
the instruments of production.
• It means that the control of production and
distribution must be in the hands, not of private
owners of capital, but of the community itself.
 Indian Industrial Policy 1956
Industries were classified into three categories-
1. First category- Industries which were exclusive
responsibility of state. Railways, Coal and minerals, Heavy
machinery etc.
2. Second Category- Progressively state owned and private
enterprises were expected to supplement the effort like
machine tools, road transport, fertilizers etc.
3. Third Category- All those left to private sector.
 Industrial Policy 1991

• In July 1991
Government of
India announced a
new industrial
policy based on
the acceptance of
the principles of
Privatization,
Liberalization and
Globalization”
 Indian Industrial Policy 1991
LPG model initiated
License raj abolished
Only area reserved for Public sector were:
I. Arms, ammunition & defense equipment
II. Atomic energy
III. Coal
IV. Mineral oils
V. Specific minerals used for atomic energy
VI. Railway transport
IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL AND ECONOMIC POLICIES
ON TRADE UNIONS
 Influence of Industrial Policies on the Broader Role of trade union

• Industrial policy resolution (the quality of being

determined )1956 was more or less in consonance
(agreement or compatibility between opinions or
actions. )with the policies of the central
federations(a group of states with a central
government but independence in internal affairs) of
trade unions
• Impact of Industrial Policy Resolution of 1956
• AITUC and UTUC also provided for the
establishment of a ‘socialist society’. Instrument of
economic growth
 Two pillar policy
“Two pillar policy adopted by the 25th session of
AITUC held in Ernakulam in December 1957 by S. A.
Dange General Secretary of the AITUC
Development of Economy
 Trade union extended their hands in willing
cooperation evolving government labour policy
Defend the Interest of the working masses in
economy
 Trade union – fought and opposed employers and
government, adverse policies
 Trade union cooperation and consultative
machinery

• Two pillars
• 1st- Development of Economy
• 2nd To defend the interest of the working masses in
that economy
• Government and the trade union movement closer.
• Government , employers and the trade union
number of tripartite and bipartite bodies of
consultation and cooperation at different levels
 Impact of Economic and Industrial Policy of
1991

Trade unions in the country, not convinced with the assertions

made by the government, have been adopting war-path and
have resorted to strikes and bandhs at regular intervals
Within a short spell of about 20 years following the adoption of
the new policy, there took place about a dozen countrywide
general strikes or bandhs and a large number of nationwide
industrial strikes at frequent intervals.
 Growth of Trade Unions

• The number of registered trade unions in the country has been

on the rise since 1950–51.
• In 2005, the number of registered trade unions were more than
twenty times the number recorded in 1950–51.
• As a large number of trade unions do not get themselves
registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1926, the real number
may be estimated to be much larger. In practice, even the
unregistered unions have successfully protected and promoted
the interests of their members, and at the same time been free
from the liabilities of registered unions.
• The fundamental right to form associations or unions (under
Article 19 (1) of the Indian Constitution) has given an added
impetus to the formation of unions in the country.
GROWTH OF TRADE UNIONS
Number of Registered Trade Unions and Trade
Unions Submitting Returns (1951–2001)
Employment, Trade Union Membership and Percentage of Workers
Organized
STATE-WISE PICTURE OF TRADE UNIONS
Extent of Unionization in Different Industry

• State wise picture of trade union

 Growth of Trade union Federation1951

• Trade union movement in India science 1951

Federation of trade union

Some of these federation have Affiliated
Industrial Federations set been set up at- central level to central
up for : (mines, iron and trade
steel, cotton textiles, union
While others at state
plantations, railways, INTUC
level
AITUC
defense ,engineering, BMS
cement ,sugar, chemicals, Even in the same
CITU
industry /employment
banking , insurance, post, parallel federations have
newspaper, teaching, come to operate
electricity, government Many of them prefer to
services road transport remain unaffiliated and
 Growth of Trade union Federation1951

• Factors formation of trade union federation

 Need for united action at higher levels
 Centralization of decision making concerning
labour matters
 Formation of central wage board
 Establishment of joint bodies at the national and
industry levels
 Establishment of employers organization at higher
levels
Growth of Trade union Federation1951

• Some more active industrial federation of

trade unions in country
 Indian National Textile workers Federation
 Indian National Mine Workers Federation
 Indian National Dock workers Federation
 All India Bank Employees Federation
 National Federation of Indian Railwaymen
 Central Federations of trade unions
• AITUC- under dominance of Communists
• INTUC- under influence of Indian national Congress
• HMS- controlled by Socialist
• UTUC- operated under influence of radicals
• BMS- under influence and dominance of Bhartiya
Janta Party
GENERAL STRIKES SINCE 1991
 General Strike/Bharat Bandh of 9
September 1993
 The central federations of
trade unions, organized a
one-day nationwide industrial
strike along with Bharat
Bandh on 9 September 1993
 Except the BMS and INTUC,
 Against the government’s
new industrial and economic
policies
 General Strike of 16–18 April 2002
 Beginning from 16 April 2002, a three-day countrywide
industrial strike was organized by central federations of
trade unions including BMS, CITU, AITUC, HMS, AICCTU,
UTUC (LS), TUCC and UTUC and a number of industrial and
government employees federations in protest against
government’s policies of privatization
 An estimated 10 million employees took part in the strike.
 The strike badly affected work in public sector
undertakings, banks, insurance, and other financial
institutions, coal, ports and state government
departments.
 The strike had a notable impact in the states of West
Bengal, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, U.P.,
Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
 Central Federation(a group of states with a central
government but independence in internal affairs.) of
Trade unions
In 1955 , Bharatiya Jan
Sangh established the
Bharatiya Mazdoor
Sangh(BMS) which
subsequently came
under the influence
and domination of the
Bharatiya Janata Party.
• In 1972 , trade unions
under the influence of
Morarji Desai ,
Nijalingappa and
Kamaraj
• Seceded(withdraw)
from the INTUC
• And established a
central federation called
National Organisation
of Labour (NL)
 consultative machinery
 The government,
 employers and
 trade unions,
conscious as they have been of this responsibility,
have cooperated in the establishment of a number
of tripartite and bipartite bodies of consultation at
different levels
 Classification
These bodies may be classified under two heads:
(a) non-statutory
(b) statutory.
Further sub-division can be on the basis of the levels
 At which they operate and
 their tenure (whether permanent or temporary)
 Some bodies are Advisory
 Some bodies are Consultative
 Some Statutory (vested with executive and
administrative functions )
 Trade union cooperation and consultative
machinery
• For the purpose of convenience these bodies classified under two
heads- Refer book
A) Non- statutory
 Non- statutory- Permanent-
At Centre level
State level
Industry level
plant level
 Non- Statutory – Ad hoc-
Wage Board,
Bonus Commission
 National commission on labour
  Non-statutory (Permanent)
At the Central Level
 Indian Labour Conference

 Standing Labour Committee

 Central Implementation and Evaluation Committee

 Central Committee on Labour Research

 Central Board for Workers’ Education

 Special Tripartite Committee

 Committee on Convention
  Non-statutory (Permanent)
At the State Level

 State Labour Advisory Boards

 Standing Labour Committee

 Industrial Relations Committees in some states

  Non-statutory (Permanent)
At the Industry Level

Industrial Committees for important industries, e.g.,

plantations, coal mining, textiles, cement, tanneries
and leather goods manufactories, mines other than
coal, jute, building and construction, chemicals, iron
and steel, engineering and road transport.
  Non-statutory (Permanent)
At the Plant Level
• Joint Management Councils
• Shop Councils
• Joint Councils
• Production Committees
• Joint Committees
• Unit Councils
  Non-statutory (ad hoc)

Wage Boards

Bonus Commission

National Commissions on Labour

 Trade union cooperation and consultative
machinery
B) Statutory-
At Central level
At State level ,
At plant level
  Statutory
At the Central Level
• Dock Workers’ Advisory Committee under the Dock Workers Regulation of
Employment Act,1948
• Central Minimum Wages Advisory Board under the Minimum Wages Act,
1948
• Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, Standing Committee, Medical
Benefit Council under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948
• Labour Welfare Advisory Committees under the Mica Mines Labour
Welfare Fund Act, 1946, and other Labour Welfare Fund Acts
  Statutory
At the State Level
• Minimum Wage Advisory Boards, Committees and Sub-committees under

the Minimum Wages Act, 1948

• Regional Boards under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948

• Labour Welfare Boards under Labour Welfare Fund Acts

  Statutory
At the Plant Level
• Works Committees under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

• Safety Committee under the Factories Act, 1948

 Bodies have provided main forums of :
Acceptance of the broad national goal Economic
development
• Mutual Cooperation and consultation between
employer , employee and government
• Agreed labor policies
• Solving problems :
 Size and finance
 Structure and Government
 Relationship with political parties and leadership
 Rivalry and recognition
 Structure

• Craft
 Pilots guild
 International wood carvers
• Industrial
 Tata workers union
 Colliery Mazdoor Sangh
 Textiles workers federation
• General
 Jamshedpur labour union
• Federation
 INTUC,AITUC,UTUC,HMS,BMS
• Confederation
 WFTU: World federation of trade union
 ICFTU: International confederation of free trade unions