Trade Union Movement in India Lecture

TRADE UNION
MOVEMENT
IN
INDIA
12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 1

INDEX
Introduction Federation of Trade Unions
Functions of Trade Unions Cental Trade Unions
Trade Union Movement Progress of Trade Unions
Phases of the Movement Future of trade Unions
Formation/split of AITUC Query Session

What is a Trade Union?
VV Giri defined Trade Unions as:
• Voluntary Organizations of workers formed to promote
and protect their interest by collective action
Sidney & Beatrice Webb

-A globally accepted standard definition:
• Trade Union is the association of the workers (wage-
earners) formed primarily for the purpose of protecting
and improving their social and economic conditions

What is a Trade Union?
• It is an organization of employees / workers
• It is a permanent body, not temporary or casual
• It protects the interests (eco/soc/political)of it’s

members – primarily economic interests
• It includes federation of unions also
• It achieves its objectives through collective action

Philosophy Behind Trade Unionism
 A single worker, in a situation of excess supply

of workforce, finds himself in a disadvantageous
position in dealing with his employer.
 The Unions give workers a chance to take part

in the creation and shaping of their working and
living standards.
 By creating Unions and pursuing collective

actions to secure his interest, the worker
experiences
12/16/09
solidarity and also a
Trade Union Movement in India
feeling of an 5
important member of society.
WHY DO WORKER’S JOIN TRADE UNIONS?
Security Self Protection

Economic expression
job and against
benefits participation
social injustice
How the Individual relates to the Union?
Trade Union Individual
Self
Power fulfillment
Member
Economic services
regulation Social
Job
regulation change
SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF UNIONS
• Wage & salary bargaining
• Fight for continuous improvement in employee benefits
• Improving working conditions at work place
• Improving welfare, healthcare & recreation facilities, and leisure
at workplace
• Increasing rest periods, holidays, paid leave and time-offs
• Decreasing working hours, work load esp. manual, and hazardous
working conditions
• Improving career and salary rise prospects & job security
• Protecting employees against arbitrary / unjust actions of
Management

THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN INDIA
• The trade union movement in India has a history of over 125 years.
• The seeds of unionism were sown along with freedom struggle.
• The British who brought the Industrial Revolution with them also
brought its ill-effects such as exploitation of the labour class,
discrimination between men and women, hostile working
conditions, perpetuation of child labour etc., which gave rise to
emergence of unions.
• The workforce employed in Postal and Railway Departments as also

in Textiles, Jute and other industries organized trade unions and
contributed to the freedom struggle.

Trade Union Movement in the early
years
• The trade Union movement in India started late
i.e. after 1918, though the industrialization of the
country began in about 1850.
• The first trade union was founded by Mr.

N.K.Lokhande in 1890, and was known as the
Bombay Mill Hands Association.

Trade Union Movement in the early
years cont…..
• Bombay Mill Hands Association was followed by:
The
Amalgamated The The
Madras and
society of Printer’s Kamgar
Calcutta
railway Union of Hitwardhak
Postal
Servants Calcutta, Sabha 1910.
Union, 1907
in India, 1905
1897

Social welfare period
• The Social welfare period was from 1876-1918.
• The development of Industries led to large scale
production on one hand and social evils like
– employment and exploitation of women and child
labour.
– Deplorable working Conditions
– Governments attitude of indifference in respect of
protection of labour from such evils.
• These worst features of industrialism marked the
history of the early factory system in India.
 The factory Commission (1875), The factories Act(1881),The
Investigation of Meade Moor(1874), the Second Bombay
factory commission(1884), Submission of memorial by the
workers were the important events that nursed the infant labour
movement.
The memorial demanded:
– Complete day rest on every Saturday.

– Half- hours rest at noon.
– Working Hours no longer than 6:30 p.m.
– Payment not later than 15th of every month.
– Payment to injured workers from compensation.

• The first trade union was founded by Mr. N.K.Lokhande in
1890, and was known as the Bombay Mill Hands Association.
The notable features of the Social welfare period were:

• Complete absence of radicalism.
• The movement depended entirely on external philanthropy.
• There was little conception of permanent trade union
membership.
• The movement developed mostly among the educated class of
workers such as postal clerks and railway employees.

TRADE UNION PERIOD
(THE FIRST WORLD WAR PERIOD)
• The Trade Union period was from 1918-1924.
• The year 1918 was an important one for the Indian Trade union
movement.
• It marked the start of a new era, an era of growth and one in which
leadership of trade unions was to pass from social workers to
politicians.
• The movement took permanent roots in the Indian soil after the close
of World war I.
• The Industrial unrest grew up as a result of the economic
difficulties caused by the First World War.
• The Martial Law, the Rowlett Act, Jallianwala Bagh incident

brought a sense of political maturity among people.
• Economically insecure and politically mature ,with the support

of political workers, philanthropists, the Indian workers
launched a series of strikes between 1918-1920.
• Economic struggle against rising cost of living, ruthless

exploitation and suppression, led to the birth of Indian Trade
Union Movement.

• Trade unions which were primarily strike committees took a formal shape
and the Madras Labour Union formed in 1918 under the leadership of
B.P.Walia.
• Further, ILO was established in 1919.
• On October 30, 1920,representatives of 64 trade unions with a

membership of 140,854 met in Bombay and established the All India
Trade union Congress under the chairmanship of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• The workers organizations sprang up all over India chiefly in jute and
cotton textiles, in the railways and among the transport workers in
general.
• The Ahmedabad Labour Association was also established in 1920.
• It is estimated that between 2.5 to 5 lakh workers were organized into

unions at that time.
FORMATION OF THE AITUC
• The All India Trade Union Congress was established in 1920.
• It was a direct result of the formation of the ILO in 1919.
• The purpose behind its formation was to have a nominating body

representing Indian Labour at the International Labour
Conference.
• This body would be nominated by a Central Labour federation as

per the requirements of the constitution of the ILO.
• The first president of the AITUC was Lala Lajpat Rai.

Trade Unionism (Left Wing)
• The Trade Unionism period was from 1924-1934.
The following are the main features of the movement in this period:
• Expansion in the no. of trade unions and Membership.
• Enactment of the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926.
• Increase in the frequency of Industrial disputes causing work stoppages.
• Growth of the leftist influence.
• Split of the AITUC.

EXPANSION IN THE NUMBER OF
TRADE UNIONS AND MEMBERSHIP
The Growth of the Indian Labour movement can be
seen from the progress of the AITUC and the number
of trade unions registered under the Indian Trade
Unions Act(1926).
Year No of Trade Unions Membership of
Affiliated to the AITUC Affiliated Union
1925 31 90,000
1927 59
1929 51 1,89,436
Source:Trade Union Trade Union Movement in India

12/16/09 20
Year No of registered Trade
Unions
1927-1928 29
1933-1934 191
• The tables show that the Indian trade union movement greatly
expanded during 1920-1929.
• Much of the expansion was concentrated in the provinces of

Bombay, Madras and Bengal.
• Considerable Trade Union activities were experienced by the

Railways, shipping, Jute, engineering and printing and paper
industries.
Enactment of the Indian Trade
Unions Act, 1926.
• Court Injunctions against strikes and prosecution of Trade
Unionists under the doctrines of criminal conspiracy led to the
first legal protection for the Indian Trade Unions through the
Indian Trade unions Act.
• The Act provided protection against criminal liability under

section 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code to the officers and
members of Indian Trade Unions registered under the act.
• This enactment gave major protection to the Indian Trade Unions

and thus led to growth of the movement in the country.
Increase in the frequency of Industrial
Disputes causing work stoppages.
Year No. of No. of workers Man days lost

Strikes involved
1921 396 6,00,351 69,84,426
1923 213 3,01,044 50,51,704
1925 134 2,70,423 1,25,78,129
1928 203 5,06,851 3,16,47,404
1929 141 5,31,059 1,21,65,491
Source: Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour,

12/16/09 Various
Trade Unionissues ofinIndian
Movement India Labour Year 23
Book
GROWTH OF THE LEFTIST
INFLUENCE.
• Unawareness of class struggle and the need of establishing economic order
based on socialist principles.
• Leaders were interested in legal and constitutional protection for workers

and trade unions and improving conditions within the existing framework.
• The Communist movement started in India.
• The communist organized a no. of new unions and revived old unions
leading to an increase in no. of unions.

• In 1926-27 they organized a no. of strikes, some of which were successful.
• The Communist leaders organized textile workers of Bombay and established the
famous Girni Kamgar Union.
• In 1928 they organized a big strike of textile workers of Bombay.(April- October).
• They also staged a successful strike at the Lillua Workshop of eastern India Railway.
• The Trade union thus started working in close cooperation with the nationalist forces
in the country.
• Labour Day was celebrated for the first time in 1927 on Ist May.
• This led to more unions coming under the influence of the communist leadership.

SPLIT OF THE AITUC
• The tenth session of AITUC was held in Nagpur in December 1929
as a result of the clash of ideologies and policies of the Reformist
and Communist wing.
• Decisions that were taken here like boycott of Royal Commission,

affiliation to the League of imperialism were against the policies
pursued by the leaders of the AITUC.
• Failing to have its way the moderate group walked out of the
congress with 30 unions having a membership of 95,639 and
formed a new federation called the Indian Trade Union
Federation.
• They elected Subhash Chandra Bose as their President and

S.V. Deshpande as their Gen. Secretary.
• A further split took place in 1931 in the AITUC due to the
“Independent political role of the working class” and the communist
section separated itself from the main body to form the Red Trade
Union Congress.
• The disunited Indian Trade Union movement started functioning under

three central federations: AITUC, ITUF, the Red Trade Union
Congress and a group of independent trade unions unattached to any
central organization.
• This led to weakening of the Trade Union movement in India.

UNITY PERIOD
• The Unity period was from 1935-1938.
• A state of divided movement was undesirable and soon

after the first split attempts at trade union unity began to be
made through the efforts of All India Railway federation
on the basis of “A platform of Unity”.
• The National Federation of Labour was established

which merged with the Indian Trade Union federation and
wad called National Trade union Federation.
• The Red trade union was disbanded and the unions under
it joined the AITUC.
• In 1938 at Nagpur, the NTUF was affiliated as a separate unit to the
AITUC.
• Later in 1940 the NTUF was dissolved and merged with the AITUC.
• The unity efforts were synchronized by he 1937 general elections.
• The Indian National Congress approached the working class. As a

result the Congress Govt. assumed charge and big changes occurred.
• Then there was a new upsurge of industrial unrest culminating in big

strikes.
• In 1937, there were 379 strikes which involved 6.47 lakh workers
and resulted in a loss of 89.92 lakh man-days.

• Protective legislations like the Bombay Shops and
Establishments Act,1939 and the U.P. Maternity Welfare Act,
1939 were initiated by Congress ministries.
• Labour Enquiry Committees were set up in Bombay, U.P. and

Bihar.
• The Congress ministry resigned in 1929 after the outbreak of

the Second World War.

SECOND WORLD WAR PERIOD
• The Second World War period was from 1939-1945
• Te Second World War broke out in September 1939
• The AITUC became a divided house where nationalist including the
communist were neutral towards war and radial democrats were in
support of war
• Thus there was a split in the AITUC and the Indian Federation of Labour
was forced by the radicals in November 1941
• The arrest of the congress workers engaged in trade unions led to the
communist dominating the AITUC
• Thus at the end of the war there were two central federations: AITUC
under the Indian Communist party and the Indian Federation of Labour
under the radical democratic party

Factors that helped to enhance the status of
Trade Union Movement during war time
• Government and Employers launched a no. of welfare
measures for increasing production of war material.
• Many employers granted recognition to trade unions strikes

and lock-outs.
• Strike and lock-outs were banned under defence rules, during

war period and disputes referred to adjudication.
• Tripartite labour conference convened in 1942, for the first

time, for common platform for labour and employers so as to
maintain industrial peace.
POST INDEPENDENCE PERIOD
• When attempts to restructure the AITUC failed, those who did
not believe in aims and ideals of AITUC separated from the
organization and established the Indian National Trade
Union Congress in May 1947.
• The Hindustan Mazdoor Sevak Sangh convened a conference

in New Delhi on May 3 and 4, 1947 where a resolution to set
up another central organization was adopted.
• The INTUC was formed by Hindustan Mazdoor Sevak

Sangh, a creation of Pro-Gandhi wing in the congress whop
were associated with the Textile Labour Association of
Ahmedabad.
• Since the beginning the INTUC shared and supported the political
outlook of the INC.
• By 1949, the trade union movement was split again with the
INTUC, the AITUC, the HMS and the UTUC representing the
four rival groups and a few national federations and unions
remaining unaffiliated with any of them.
• During this period there was no trade union unity. The HMS, the
AITUC and the UTUC worked together in some places but the
INTUC was completely aloof.
• After the declaration of emergency again the INTUC, the AITUC

and HMS joined with the employed representatives on the
National Apex Body but with the lifting of the emergency and the
installation of the Janata Party Govt. at the centre, this body
ceased to exist.

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT IN
INDIA -1950 ONWARDS
EXTENT OF UNIONIZATION IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES:
• The trade union membership was high in manufacturing and transport,storage
and communications,electricity ,gas and water and wholesale and retail trade.
STATEWISE PICTURE OF TRADE UNION:

• The eight states of West Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar accounted for more than 75% of the
total number of registered trade unions in the country.
• Kerela being no.1 followed by West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu , Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan and M.P.

TRADE UNION ORGANISATIONS
1. Basic Level – Registered Union at unit of operation

2. National level –
A. National Federations viz. AITUC, INTUC, BMS
B. Loose federations of Independent Unions viz. coordinating
committee of free Trade Unions viz,
All India Bank Employees Federation
All India Insurance Employees Association.
3. International Level –
• World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU)
• International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
125 million members in 141 countries)
• International Trade Secretariats (ITSs) (11 sectoral Federations)
GROWTH OF TRADE UNION
FEDERATIONS
• This was a notable development in the Trade Union
movement in 1951.
• Such federations came to be set up for a no. of

industries/employments some were set up at central
level and some at state level.
For eg. All India Bank Employee’s Associatiom

National Federation of Indian Railway Men
All India mine worker's Federation
CENTRAL FEDERATIONS OF
TRADE UNIONS
• By the end of 1949 there were four central federations of Trade unions the AITUC
,INTUC,HMS and UTUC.
• The AITUC under the control of the Communists,

• The INTUC under the influence of INC,
• HMS under the socialist and
• The UTUC under the Radicals.
• In 1955 Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh was established by the Bhartiya Jan Sangh under the
domination of the Bhartiya Janta Party.
• A split in the AITUC formed the Centre of Indian Trade Unions under the influence of the
Communist Party Marxists and the AITUC under the Communist party of India.

• The INTUC also split forming the INTUC and the
National Organization of Labour.
• Later United Trade Union Congress also split

forming the UTUC-Lenin Sarani.
• The two others namely National Front of Indian

Trade Unions NFITU and Trade Union Coordination
Centre TUCC were also set up.
• Thus presently there are 10 central federation of

Trade unions.

CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS
INDIAN NATIONAL TRADE UNION CONGRESS {RULING CONGRESS)
NATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION (OLD CONGRESS)
ALL INDIA TRADE UNION CONGRESS (INDIAN COMMUNIST PARTY)
CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE UNIONS (COMMUNIST PARTY MARXISTS)
UNITED TRADE UNION CONGRESS
UNITED TRADE UNION CONGRESS-LENIN SARANI
HIND MAZDOOR SABHA (PRAJA SOCIALIST)
HIND MAZDOOR PANCHAYAT (SAMYUKTA SOCIALIST PARTY)
BHARTIYA MAZDOOR SANGH (JAN SANGH)
NATIONAL FRONT OF INDIAN TRDAE UNIONS
RELATIVE STRENGTH OF
CENTRAL TRADE UNIONS IN INDIA
TRADE Membership ( in ‘000s)
UNIONS As on January 1, 1990 on December 31, 1980
Total % Total %
BMS 3117 26.2 1211 21.04
INTUC 2706 22.75 2236 38.85
CITU 1798 15.12 331 5.75
HMS 1477 12.42 763 13.26
AITUC 924 7.77 345 5.99
UTUC(LS) 803 6.75 621 10.79
UTUC 540 4.54 165 2.87
NFITU
12/16/09 530 Trade Union Movement
4.45 in India 84 1.46 41
Progress of Trade Unions before
Independence
Unions
1927-1928 29
1933-1934 191

Progress after Independence
Unions
1944-1945 865
1947-1948 2,766
1961-1962 11,416
1970 20,282
1977 30,810
1984 42,609
1988 47,648
Souirce: Handbook of
Labour
12/16/09 Statistics:1992Trade Union Movement in India 43
Reasons for Growth In Post- Independence
Trade Union Movement
• Establishment of political democracy, leading
to industrial democracy.
• Workers aspirations and expectations.
• Governments Labour Policy.
• Increase in the number of Central Organisation
of workers leading to multi-unionism at the
national level.

Future role of trade unions in India:
Organizing the unorganized
• The future role of the trade union movement is linked
with a broader concern for ensuring the social cohesion of
working people in a large and diverse country.
• It is imperative for the trade union movement to
concentrate on organizing the unorganized, so as to create
secure incomes and safe working conditions for those
with irregular jobs.


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TRADE UNION

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 1

Functions of Trade Unions Cental Trade Unions

Trade Union Movement Progress of Trade Unions

Phases of the Movement Future of trade Unions

Formation/split of AITUC Query Session

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 2

Sidney & Beatrice Webb

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 3

• It is an organization of employees / workers

• It is a permanent body, not temporary or casual

• It protects the interests (eco/soc/political)of it’s

• It achieves its objectives through collective action

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 4

 A single worker, in a situation of excess supply

 The Unions give workers a chance to take part

 By creating Unions and pursuing collective

Security Self Protection

Trade Union Individual

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 8

• The seeds of unionism were sown along with freedom struggle.

• The workforce employed in Postal and Railway Departments as also

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 9

• The first trade union was founded by Mr.

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 10

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 11

The memorial demanded:

– Complete day rest on every Saturday.

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 13

The notable features of the Social welfare period were:

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 14

• The Martial Law, the Rowlett Act, Jallianwala Bagh incident

• Economically insecure and politically mature ,with the support

• Economic struggle against rising cost of living, ruthless

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 16

• Further, ILO was established in 1919.

• On October 30, 1920,representatives of 64 trade unions with a

• The Ahmedabad Labour Association was also established in 1920.

• It is estimated that between 2.5 to 5 lakh workers were organized into

• It was a direct result of the formation of the ILO in 1919.

• The purpose behind its formation was to have a nominating body

• This body would be nominated by a Central Labour federation as

• The first president of the AITUC was Lala Lajpat Rai.

• Expansion in the no. of trade unions and Membership.

• Enactment of the Indian Trade Unions Act, 1926.

• Increase in the frequency of Industrial disputes causing work stoppages.

• Growth of the leftist influence.

• Split of the AITUC.

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 19

Source:Trade Union Trade Union Movement in India

• Much of the expansion was concentrated in the provinces of

• Considerable Trade Union activities were experienced by the

• The Act provided protection against criminal liability under

• This enactment gave major protection to the Indian Trade Unions

Year No. of No. of workers Man days lost

Source: Govt. of India, Ministry of Labour,

• Leaders were interested in legal and constitutional protection for workers

• The Communist movement started in India.

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 24

• In 1928 they organized a big strike of textile workers of Bombay.(April- October).

12/16/09 Trade Union Movement in India 25

• Decisions that were taken here like boycott of Royal Commission,

• They elected Subhash Chandra Bose as their President and

• The disunited Indian Trade Union movement started functioning under