Trade Union

Movement in India
 ●Trade union movement was emerged as a part of labour
movement
●Labour movements were started by the social reformers
as a modest as a humanitarian effort to improve the
conditions of the workers.
● First labour agitation in the history of India occurred in
Bombay, 1875. It was organized under the leadership of
History S.S Bengalee.
●who drafted a bill for factory legislations and send it to
British Govt. in 1878.- but not considered.
●This led to the appointment of the first Factory
commission, 1875.
●1n 1881 1st factory legislation was passed .
●1st association of mill workers were formed in
1890, in Bombay under the leadership of Mr.
Lokhande
●Bombay Mill Hands Association-first organized
labour association in India
●Established to redress the grievances of
Bombay Mill workers
●Mr. Lokhande also started a labour journel-
Dhinabandhu in 1884- 1st working class
newspaper .
 ●1890 -1917- workers formed their associations
●Labour associations cannot be termed as trade
Labour unions
associations ●They are the most premature forms of trade
as unions
predecessors ●Leadership was provided by social reformers
of trade and not by the workers themselves
unions ●concentrated on the welfare of workers rather
than asserting their rights.
●Associations were not having rules
 ●After 1st world war (1918-1924: The early trade
union phase.)
Formation of ●Modern form of trade union in India was
trade union Madras Trade Union (Textile) – 1918
●Under the leadership of B.P.Wadia
 ●1st WW- ILO- It was created in 1919, as
part of theTreaty of Versailles [PDF
837KB] that ended World War I, to reflect
the belief that universal and lasting peace
ILO can be accomplished only if it is based on
social justice.
●After ILO (1919) AITUC(All India Trade
Union Congress )
● Another important figure in the trade union
movement in India was N.M. Joshi.
●In 1921, Joshi was quite influential in
persuading the Government of India to accept
the resolution moved by him in 1921 in the
Central Legislative Assembly requesting for the
legislation for the registration and protection of
trade unions.
Trade Unions ●It was after 5 years that the Trade Unions Act of
Act ,1926 1926 was enacted.
 ●After ILO (1919) AITUC(All India Trade Union
Congress )
Legislations ●Workmen’s Compensation Act 1923
●Trade Union Act 1926
●Industrial Disputes Act 1929
 ●All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)
Central labour ●Indian National Trade Union Congress(INTUC)
organizations
●Hind Mazdoor Sabha(HMS)
in India
●United Trade Union Congress (UTUC)
 ● Established in 1920
● 1st National federation of trade unions in India
● Establishment of ILO was the immediate cause for the
All India Trade formation.
Union ● Representatives of 64 trade unions
Congress ● Under the chairmanship of Lala Lajpat Rai
(AITUC) ● This union was led by the leaders of Indian National
Congress
● Later the AITUC was controlled by the communists.
● Split of AITUC took place in 1929 at 10th session.
 ● The group of moderate reformist in AITUC, led by N.M
Indian Joshi disassociated themselves from AITUC and formed
National INTUC .
Trade Union ● Formed after independence.
Congress(INT ● Resolution to form INTUC- was passed at a conference
of leading congress and trade union workers who met
UC) at New Delhi
● Under the chairmanship of Sardar Vallabhai Patel
 ● HMS:- Founded by the socialist leaders of INTUC after
they had broken away from INTUC-1948.
Hind Mazdoor ● Reason- socialist leaders of INTUC felt that INTUC was
completely following the policies of congress party.
Sabha(HMS)
● HMS believed in the independent functioning of the
& United trade unions from the influence of government.
Trade Union
Congress ● UTUC:- formed in 1949
(UTUC) ● Leaders of this organization consisted of various left
wing groups
● Main objective- to conduct trade union activities free
from sectarian party politics
Other central
trade unions
(federation of
● National Federation of Indian Trade Unions(NFITU)
workers that ● Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU)
have been ● Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)
recognized as
central trade
unions)
 ● F.R to form associations and form unions is one of the
most important right
● Article 19
Indian ● Art. 19 (1)A- Right to speech and expression
constitution ● Kameshwar Singh v.. State of Bihar – demonstration of
and picketing are visible manifestation of one’s idea and
on the rights in effect a form of speech and expression
of trade ● Art 19 (1)(b) – Right to assemble – reasonable restrictions
unions can be imposed- in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of
India or public order
● Art 19 (1)(c) – freedom to form association or union
 ● Freedom of association under ILO
● Recognition of the principle of freedom of association
is one of the objectives laid down in the preamble of
the constitution ILO
International
● Philadelphia Declaration – the workers right to express
norms on the and form association was recognized and it was added
rights of trade to the constitution of ILO
unions ● It reaffirmed that
● Labour is not a commodity
● Freedom of expression and association
● Poverty anywhere constitutes a danger to prosperity
everywhere
 ● Right of association is a F.R of human beings at work
ILO ● ILO conventions-

conventions ● Right of association(Agriculture ) convention, 1921

● Freedom of Association and Protection of Right to Organize
on right to convention 1948
form ● Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Convention 1949
associations ● Worker’s Representatives Convention 1978
 ● This declaration is an expression of commitment by
governments, employers, workers and organizations to
ILO uphold basic human values.
DECLARATION ● Freedom of association is one of the fundamental
ON principles recognized by this declaration.
FUNDAMENTA ● Other areas are
L PRINCIPLES ● Freedom of association and the right to collective
bargaining.
AND RIGHTS
● The elimination of forced and compulsory labour.
AT WORK 1998 ● Abolition of child labour
● Elimination of discrimination in the work place.