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Evolution of trade union

Theoretical perspective

Presented by:-
Pragya Singh
Social psychological approach Robert F.
Hoxie
Trade union grew due to socio-psychological
environment and economic reasons.
Unionism affects production and established rights of
the employer.

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Classification of unions
Union according to structure, functional operations
and the objectives and the methods adopted to
achieve these objectives.

Business union/ bread butter-lays stress on


o Immediate goals
o Improvement in wages
o Working conditions
o Giving little attention to political and social action

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Continued…….
 Friendly or uplift unionism

o To elevate the moral, intellectual and social life of workers.


o Rely on political action, cooperative enterprises, mutual insurance
programmes and profit sharing.

 Revolutionary unionism

o Class conscious
o Rejects ownership of productive resources and the wages system.
o Weapons are political action or direct in form of violence and
strikes.
o Socialistic unionism-replace capitalistic system by socialist system,
political action
o Quasianarchistic union-strikes and sabotages and boycott.

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Continued……
Predatory unionism
o Dominated by gangsters
o Adopts the method which seems to be most appropriate
regardless of ethical and legal codes.

Dependent unionism
o Rely upon the support of the company and the labor group.
o Company unionism-employer support doesn't represent the
interest of workers.
o Label unionism-encourage greater sales and makes it
imperative for the employer to hire union workers.

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Sociological approach: Frank Tannenbaum
• Union have become exceedingly powerful
organizations.
• Originally union was formed to make bargaining of
workers more effective but now union has reduced
both workers and employees to subordinates.
• Formation of union will create as many difficulties as it
will eliminate.
• Unionism is a process inherent in an industrial society.

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Scarcity consciousness approach: Selig Perlman

Three basic factors in labor situation:


o Resistance power
o Degree of dominance by intellectuals in labor
movement.
o The degree of maturity of trade union “mentality”.
Unionism developed due to scarcity consciousness
that arose in mind of workers.
Intellectuals are outsiders who attemt to impose their
ideology on labor movement.

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Kerr and associates general approach to trade union
 Formation of union is one of the organized form of protest.
 Leadership of industrialization process is taken by five ideals:
 Dynastic elite: Undertake social functions at plant level, indulge in
political activities challenging employers.
 Middle class elite(reformist): Undertakes regulation of
management at local and industry level led by workers.
 Revolutionary intellectual elite: Act as an instrument of the party
to educate and lead workers and to stimulate production and
political activity.
 Colonial administrator elite: Anti colonial and fight for
independence leadership is provided by nationalist and
independent leaders.
 Nationalist elite: Work for conflicting objectives of economical
development and protection of workers.
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Thank You

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