TRADE UNIONIST OF INDIA

Comes in Politics from Trade Union

SOME TRADE UNIONS

All India Trade Union Congress

of India)

(Communist Party

All India United Trade Union Centre

Unity Centre of India (Communist))

(Socialist

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh

Sangh)

(Rashtriya Swayamsevak

Indian National Trade Union Congress

National Congress)

(Indian

Political affiliation in

brackets.

Some Trade Unions

GJUTUA HAUTUA SKS Bank employees association School Teacher association College lecturer union & So onnnnnn..

All These Are White Colors Trade Unions.

Trade Union is an association of workers formed to protect the interest of workers.

Indian Trade Union act, 1926 defined Trade Union as, Any
combination, whether temporary or permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relation between workmen and employee or between workmen and workmen, between employers and employers or for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business, and includes any federation of two or more trade unions.

Characteristics of Trade Unions

Temporary or permanent Regulating the relation Imposing restrictive conditions

Why Workers join trade unions ?

Workers join trade Unions to attain their objectives which they could not achieve individually. Specifically worker join Trade Unions due to following reasons.
To attain economic security. To ventilate the workers grievances to the management. To satisfy the social need. To secure power. To Satisfy the social need. To Improve their bargaining power.

Principle of Trade Unions

Trade Unions function on three cordinal principle. Unity is Strength
This fact is effectively brought out by Longfellow in the song of Hiawatha: All Your Strength is in your Union, All your danger is in your discord; Therefore be at peace henceforward, And as brother, Live together.

Equal pay for Equal work or for the same job.

Security of Service.

Structure of Trade Unions Craft unions Industrial unions

Description / Example

To represent skilled workers e.g. Musicians Union (MU) To represent the members of one particular industry e.g. Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Unions which recruit workers from all types of industries and with any level or range of skills e.g. Amicus the Manufacturing Science and Finance Union (MSF)

General unions

White-collar unions

Represent office workers e.g. National Union of Teachers (NUT)

 Plant

level Federations Local level Federations Regional Level Federations National Level Federations

Trade Unions can be classifieds according to:

(1)

The purpose for which they are established, and

(2) Types of their Membership.

 Reformist Unions

Business Unions
Friendly Unions
Revolutionary Union

Political unions Anarchist unions

What do unions do?

Negotiation

The main service a union provides for its members is negotiation and representation. There are other benefits people get from being members of trade unions.

Representation

Information

and advice Member services

Negotiation
Negotiation is where union representatives discuss with management issues which affect people working in an organization. The union finds out the members' views and relays these views to management. There may be a difference of opinion between management and union members. 'Negotiation' is about finding a solution to these differences. This process is also known as 'collective bargaining'.

Representation
Trade unions also represent individual members when they have a problem at work. If an employee feels they are being unfairly treated, he or she can ask the union representative to help sort out the difficulty with the manager or employer.

If the problem cannot be resolved amicably, the matter may go to an industrial tribunal. Industrial tribunals make sure that employment laws are properly adhered to by employees and employers. Unions also offer their members legal representation. Normally this is to help people get financial compensation for work-related injuries or to assist people who have to take their employer to court.

Information and advice

Unions have a wealth of information which is useful to people at work. They can advise on a range of issues like how much holiday you are entitled to each year, how much pay you will get if you go on maternity leave, and how you can obtain training at work.

Member services
During the last ten years, trade unions have increased the range of services they offer their members. These include:

Education and training - Most unions run training courses for their
members on employment rights, health and safety and other issues. Some unions also help members who have left school with little education by offering courses on basic skills and courses leading to professional qualifications.

As well as offering legal advice on employment issues, some unions give help with personal matters, like housing, wills and debt.

Legal assistance -

Financial discounts -

People can get discounts on mortgages,

insurance and loans from unions.

One of the earliest functions of trade unions was to look after members who hit hard times. Some of the older unions offer financial help to their members when they are sick or unemployed.

Welfare benefits -

Most 'collective bargaining' takes place quietly and agreements are quickly reached by the union and the employer. Occasionally disagreements do occur and the two sides cannot agree. In these cases the union may decide to take industrial action. Industrial action takes different forms. It could mean an over time ban, a workto-rule or a strike. There are strict laws which unions have to follow when they take industrial action. A strike is only called as a last resort. Strikes are often in the news but are rare. Both sides have a lot to lose. Employers lose income because of interruptions to production or services. Employees lose their salaries and may find that their jobs are at risk. Usually employers and employees will go to some lengths to avoid the costs of strike action to both groups. Photolibrary Group The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is often used to help find a solution to a dispute which is acceptable to both sides.

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OBJECTIVES
Better Wages Better Working conditions Bonus Resist unsuitable schemes Secure welfare Project Interest of workers Social welfare Organizational growth and stability

FUNCTIONS
Militant

Fraternal

Intra-mural activities Extra-mural activitie Political activities.

 Lack of education May not welcome change

Strike on illogical basis

Creation of Artificial scanty of labour Undue demands relating to wages

Unions structure diagram

Union Members Shop Stewards (Union Representatives) Branches District and Regional Offices

National Office

Trade unions are democratic organizations which are accountable to their members for their policies and actions. Unions are normally modeled on the following structure:

Members - people who pay a subscription to

belong to a union

Shop stewards - sometimes called union

representatives - who are elected by members of the union to represent them to management

Branches - which support union members in

different organizations locally. There is usually a branch secretary who is elected by local members

District and/or regional offices - these are usually staffed by full time union officials. These are people who are paid to offer advice and support to union members locally A national office - the union's headquarters which offers support to union members and negotiates or campaigns for improvements to their working conditions. At the top of the organization there is usually a General Secretary and a National Executive Committee, elected by the union's members.

TRADE UNIONS ACT 1926

Trade Unions Act, 1926 provides for the registration of the Trade Unions with the Registrars of Trade Unions of their territory. Any seven or more members of a trade union by submitting their names to the registrar of trade unions and otherwise complying with the provisions of the Act with respect to registration may apply for the registration of the Trade Union under the Trade Unions Act. The Act gives protection to registered trade unions in certain cases against civil and criminal action.

 AIBOC - All India Bank Officers Confederation AISGEF - All India State Government Employees Federation Center of Indian Trade Unions - Major trade union Hind Mazdoor Sabha - Membership, objectives and trade union situation Indian National Trade Union Congress - History, aims, objectives and activities NCOA - National Confederation of Officer's Association of Central Publid Sector Undertakings Organized Labour - Article on role of organized labour and trade unions in economic liberalization PWTUC - Professional Workers Trade Union Centre of India Trade Union India - Trade union international of public and allied employees

Four important central organisations of workers in India are 1. The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). The Congress Party and the top congress leaders formed the INTUC like Nehru and Patel were associated with it. Every union affiliated to INTUC has to submit its dispute to arbitration after exhausting other means of settlement of disputes. 2. The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). This union serves as the labour forum of Communist Party of India at present. It is considered as the second largest union in India. 3. The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS). It was formed in Calcutta by the socialists who neither approved INTUC nor AITUC. The HMS was organised with a view to keeping its members free from any political or other outside interference.

4. The United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). Those persons who were dissident socialist formed it. It functions mainly in Kerala and West Bengal. 5. Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU). The Marxists separated from the AITUC in May 1970 and formed the CITU.

In addition to the above, there are four other central trade union organizations. They are:

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)

National Labour Organization (NLO)

National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU)

Trade Union Congress Committee

PROBLEMS AND WEAKNESS OF TRADE UNIONS

Uneven growth
Limited membership Multiplicity of unions

Outside leadership
Financial problems

Indifferent attitude of workers

How are trade unions financed?

Each trade union member pays a subscription. The amount varies from union to union and is normally set at different levels according to the amount people earn. People pay their subscription fees in different ways. It may be collected by direct debit from a bank account, deducted directly from wages or paid in cash or by cheque to a union representative or full time official.

In exchange, members receive the benefits of representation, negotiation, protection and other services from their union.

How do trade unions recruit their members?

Different unions cover different jobs and industries. People are able to join the most appropriate union for their job or sector. People are recruited to unions in different ways. Most people find out about the union by talking to colleagues at the workplace and then make direct contact with the union. Others are contacted by the union representative who gives them information about the union and tells them how to join. Some employers and personnel officers tell employees about the union when they start working for the organization.

How has trade union membership changed in recent years?

In 2003, union membership in Britain, estimated from the Labour Force Survey, was 7.42 million. The proportion of all employees who were union members was 29.1%. These are the overall figures but union membership varies enormously by industry and by the types of jobs that people do. Trade union membership has declined over the last two decades. In 1979 13.3 million people were members of trade unions and the proportion of employees who were union members stood at 55%. A comparison of membership data for the period 1992-2003 can be seen on the ONS Web site.

Reasons for fall in Membership

A dramatic fall in the number of jobs in manufacturing industries where union membership was traditionally high. Larger numbers of unemployed people. A fall in traditional full time employment and an increase in part time and temporary workers who are less likely to join unions. An increase in the proportion of the workforce employed by small companies where it is often difficult for unions to organize. Hostile legislation - the previous Conservative government introduced laws which make it more difficult for unions to operate and keep their members.

However, trade union membership is still quite high and many people are employed in workplaces where unions are recognised by management for negotiating pay and conditions of employment. There is also evidence that the decline in union membership is beginning to slow up. The TUC has launched a major recruitment drive called 'New Unionism - Organising for Growth' and many unions are stepping up their efforts to recruit in new industries and jobs. More and more people are turning to trade unions because they want the protection they can provide

SUGGESTIONS FOR HEALTHY GROWTH OF UNIONS

One

Union Per Industry Paid Union Officials Development of Internal Leadership Recognition of Trade Unions Improved Financial condition