Growth of Trade Unions Movement and Membership Though trade unionism in India can be traced back to 1890, when

Shri N.M. Lokhande organised in Bombay the Bombay Mill Hands' Association, organised trade unions in the modem sense, started "springing of only from 1918. The decision of the Madras High Court, in the Buckingham and Somatic Mills case, focused public attention to the necessity of giving legal recognition to workers' right to organise and the strike in defence of their legitimate interests. On the initiative of Shri N.M. Joshi, the Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution on, 1st March, 1921 to take steps to introduce legislation for registration of trade unions and protection of bonafide trade union activities. The Central Government after consulting Provincial Governments drew up a Bill providing for registration of trade unions' and introduced it in the Assembly on 31st August, 1925. It was passed on 25th March, 1926, and the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926, was brought into force on 1 st June, 1927. The Act was amended in 1947 to provide for compulsory recognition of trade unions. However, the amended Act was not enforced. Amendments to the Act were made in 1960, 1962 and 1964. The word "Indian'" was deleted in the amended Act of 1964. A comprehensive Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill. 1982, was passed by the Parliament and received the assent of the President of India, but not enforced. If we go through the evaluation of trade union in India we will find that introduction Trade Union Act 1926 and political parties have played the key role in trade unionism. Under the provision of Trade Union Act, 1926, any seven or more members of trade union may, by subscribing their names to the rules of trade union and by otherwise complying with the provision of the act can apply for registration of union. The other factor has been the major political parties like Congress, Communist, CPI (M) and Socialist each has a federation of their own which helped the trade union to grow. NATIONAL LEVEL FEDERATIONS Historically, four major federations have been in existence and have established network of federal unions. They are: All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) ALL INDIA TRADE UNION CONGRSS (AITUC)

The most important year in the history of Indian Trade Union Movement is 1920 when All India Trade Union Congress was formed, consequent upon the necessity of electing delegates for the International Labour Organisation. This organisation is having member ship of more than 1.5 million. OBJECTIVES The Basic objectives of AITUC are: (i) To establish a socialist state in India; (ii) To socialise and nationalise means of production, distribution and exchange (iii) To improve the economic and social conditions of working class, by securing better terms of employment; (iv) To watch, promote and further the interests, rights and privileges of the workers in all matters relating to their employment; (v) To secure and maintain for the workers the freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of association, freedom of assembly, the right to strike (vi) To coordinate the activities of the labour unions affiliated to AITUC (vii) To abolish political or economic advantage based on caste, creed, community, race or religion and Indian National Trade Union Congress The efforts of the Indian National Congress resulted in the establishment of Indian National Trade Union Congress by bringing split in the AITUC in 1947. It has a membership of about 24 lacs. Objectives 1. To place industry under national ownership and control in suitable form; 2. To secure greater participation of workers in the management of enterprises 3. To organize society in such a manner as to ensure full employment and the best utilization of its manpower and other sources; 4. To improve the condition at work and to provide various social security measures. 5. Develop among the workers a sense of responsibility towards industry and society. 6. To raise workers standard of efficiency and discipline.

HIND MAZDOOR SABHA (HMS) This national federation of workers came into existence in the year 1948. The Indian Federation of Labour merged with HMS. The membership of this organisation is nearly nine lakhs. Objectives 1. To organize and promote the establishment of democratic socialist society in India; 2. To promote the economic, political and social interests of the workers and to improve their terms of conditions of employment. 3. To form a federation of unions from the same industry or occupation at the national level 4. To promote the formation of co-operative societies and to foster the workers education Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) This national federation was established in the year 1971 when there was split in Communist Party of India on the basis of ideology. This federation is affiliated to CPI(M). It is having strength of its members nearly a million. Objectives It main objective is to stop exploitation of workers by socializing means of production, distribution and exchange. They believe in organizing workers so that fight against repression of the government and suppression of capitalist society is curbed. Method Legislation, Agitation Strike The Trade Union Act, 1926 and Legal Frame Work If we go through the evaluation of trade union in India we will that introduction Trade Union Act 1926 and political parties have played the key role in trade unionism. Under the provision of Trade Union Act, 1926, any seven or more members of trade union may, by subscribing their names to

the rules of trade union and by otherwise complying with the provision of the act can apply for registration of union. Status of a Registered Trade Union It becomes body incorporate It gets a common seal It can buy and hold moveable and immovable property It can enter into contracts with others It can sue and can be sued in its name

Cancellation of Registration On the application of the union Where the application was obtained by fraud or mistake Where the union has ceased to exist Where the union willfully and after notice of the Registrar contravened any provision of the act Where the union has rescinded any rule Where the primary objects of the union are in agreement with the statutory objects.

Obligations Allow anyone above the age of 15 years to be member of the union\ Specify the whole of its objects for which the trade union has been established; the whole of the purposes for which the general funds of the trade union shall be applicable; the maintenance of a list of the members of the trade union and adequate facilities for the inspection thereof by the office bearers and members for the trade union; the admission of ordinary members who shall be persons actually engaged or employed in an industry with which the trade union is connected, and also the admission of the number of honorary or temporary office bearers to form the executive of the trade union; the payment of a subscription by members of the trade union which shall not be less than 25 paise per month per member; the conditions under which any member shall be entitled to any benefit assured by the rules and under which any fine or forfeiture may be imposed on the members; the manner in which the rules shall be amended, varied or rescinded;

Rights

the manner in which the members of the executive and other office bearers of the trade union shall be appointed and removed; the safe custody of the funds of the trade union, and annual audit of accounts thereof, and adequate facilities for the inspection of the account books by the office bearers and members of the trade union; and the manner in which the trade union may be dissolved.

Claim immunity from civil and criminal prosecution for bonafide trade union activities Create a political fund Spend general funds on salaries of staff and meet certain other expenses Can represent workers to the works committees

Liabilities A registered trade union should maintain books of accounts and list of members Shall keep books and list open for inspection by members Should have office bearers who does not suffer from disqualifications Should submit statement of income, expenditure, assets liabilities list of creditors and debtors Should give correct information to members intending to become members.

Recognition of Unions One of the burning problems in Industrial Relations facing our trade union, government and employer for a pretty long time is to evolve a satisfactory and commonly acceptable way to settle the competitive claims of rival union for being declared as bargaining agent. The problem is as soon as one union gets recognition, rival unions steps in. This makes collective bargaining difficult. What is done by one union is sought to be undone by the other union. The need for recognition of union has been realized as is evident from the provisions of Bombay Industrial Act and certain other states legislations like Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

The need for recognition of union and provisions for recognition was stressed in the Second Five Year Plan. Because of desire to go slow on legislation, recognition was provided for, on voluntary basis, under the Code of Discipline adopted at the 16th session of Indian Labour Conference held in May 1958 at Nainital. It laid down certain criteria such as: 1. Where there are more than one union, a union claiming recognition should have been functioning for the last one year 2. The membership of union should cover 15% of the workers. It should be counted if the members have paid subscription for 3 month in last six months. 3. A union may claim to be recognized union for an industry on local area if it has 25% of the workers. 4. When a union has been recognized there should be no change in its position for two years. 5. A representative union for a n industry in a area should have right to represent the workers in all establishment of the industry, if union of workers in particular establishment, it should have 50% of the workers as members. 6. In case of Trade Union Federation, which is not affiliated to any four of the central organizations of labour, the recognition shall be dealt separately. 7. Only union, which observed Code of Conduct, would be entitled to recognition. There are serious problems in verification of membership. There are certain suggestions in this regard either by the employee or employers Rights of recognized and other unions The recognized union should be given opportunity to have collective agreements. The rights of the recognized unions can be summarized as under:1) To raise issue and enter into collective agreements 2) To collects membership and subscription 3) To put up a Notice Board in the premises, and right to display its development. 4) To hold discussions with representative of employees. 5) To meet employer or its representative to sort out grievances. 6) To inspect, by prior, arrangement any place where its member is employed. 7) To nominates its representative on grievance committee 8) To nominate its representative on statuary or non-statuary body, like bipartite committee, welfare committee, house allotment committee etc.