HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT II
CHAPTER 11: TRADE UNIONS
CHAPTER 11
Meaning of Trade Unions
„ According to G.D.H. Cole, a trade union
means”an association carried on mainly for the
purpose of protecting and advancing the
members’ economic interests in connection with
their daily work”
„ Dale Yoder defined a trade union as a
“continuing long term association of employees,
formed and maintained for the specific purpose
of advancing and protecting the interest of the
Contd.
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Meaning of Trade Unions
„ Members in their working relationship”
„ Indian Trade Union Act, 1926 defined trade
union as “any combination, whether temporary or
permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of
regulating the relations between workmen and
employers or between workmen and workmen,
between employees and employers or for
imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of
any trade or business and include any federation
of two or more trade unions”
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Why do workers join Trade Unions ?
„ Workers join trade unions to achieve their objectives
which they could not achieve individually. Some
specific reasons are:
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To attain economic security
To improve their bargaining power and balance it with
that of management
To ventilate the workers’ grievances to the
management
To satisfy social, psychological and other needs for
belongingness
To secure power
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CHARACTERISTICS OF TRADE UNIONS
„ The trade unions may be an association either of the
employers or employees or of independent workers
„ Trade unions are relatively permanent combination
of workers and are not temporary or casual who are
engaged in securing economic benefits for their
members
„ The origin and growth of trade unions has been
influenced by a number of ideologies and their
character has been constantly changing
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Functions and Role of Trade Unions
„ Basic function is to protect and promote the interest of
the workers and conditions of their employment. The
other factors are:
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Achieving higher wages and better working and living
conditions for the members
Acquiring the control of industry by workers
Raising the status of the workers as partners
Through collective bargaining protect the interest of the
members against victimization and injustice
To protect the right of to be consulted on all the matters
attracting the worker’s interest
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Functions of Trade Unions
„ The functions of trade unions can be divided into
following categories:
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Militant or protective or intra-mural functions
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Fraternal or Extra-Mural Functions
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Social Functions
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Political Functions
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Ancillary Functions
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THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LABOUR
„ The National Commission on Labour has pointed out
following basic functions on which the trade unions have to
pay greater attention:
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To secure for workers fair wages
To safeguard security of tenure and improve conditions of
service
To enlarge opportunities for promotion and training
To improve working and living conditions
To provide for educational, cultural and recreational facilities
To cooperate in and facilitate technological advances
To promote identity of interests of workers with their industry
To offer responsive coordination in improving productivity
To promote individual and collective welfare
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Objectives of Important Indian Trade Unions
„ The most important year in the history of Indian
Trade Union Movement is 1920 when All India Trade
Union Congress (AITUC) was formed consequent
upon necessity of electing delegates for the
International Labour Organization (ILO). This is the
first All India Trade Union in the country
„ The efforts of the Indian National Congress resulted
in the establishment of Indian National Trade Union
Congress (INTUC) by bringing
Contd.
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the split in the AITUC
„ Socialists separated from AITUC had formed Hind
Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) in 1948
„ Radicals formed another union under the name of
United Trade Union Congress in 1949
„ Some other central unions were also formed. They
are:
„ Bharatiya Mazdoor sangh (BMS) in 1955
„ The Hind Mazdoor Panchayat (HMP) in 1965
„ The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) in 1970
Contd.
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„ The split in the Congress party in 1969 resulted in
the split in INTUC and led to the formation of
National Labour Organization (NLO)
„ All these Trade Unions have their individual basic
objectives like To establish a socialistic state in
India, To socialise and nationalise means of
production, distribution and exchange, To
establish a socialistic state in India and fight for
immediate interest of the working class and
repressive policy of the Government towards the
democratic and trade union movement etc.
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ILL EFFECTS OF OUTSIDE LEADERSHIP
•
The union’s lack of formal power is the reasons
for outside political leadership
•
It undermines the purpose of Trade Union
•
It is responsible for the slow growth of Trade
•
Union internal leadership has not been
developed fully
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Union Structure
„ The structure of Trade Unions in India varies
from organization to organization and can be
classified into four types:
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Craft Unions
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General Unions
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Industrial Unions
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Federation and Confederation
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STEPS TO STRENGTHEN TRADE UNION
MOVEMENT IN INDIA
• The Trade Union Act should be amended
• Trade Unions should not unnecessarily
interfere in the management decision
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Problems of Trade Unions
„ Inactive functioning
„ Victimisation
„ Low membership
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CAUSES OF UNION RIVALRY
1.
Domination of Union by outside leaders
2.
Attitude and policy of the management
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NCL RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINIMIZE UNION RIVALRY
1. Elimination of party politics
2. Improving the system of union recognition
3. Encouraging union security
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REASONS FOR DECLINE OF
MEMBERSHIP
1.
Rivalry among the leaders and central
Organizations
2.
Unionisation in India started with the big
employers and gradually spread to smaller
employers
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Measures to Strengthen Trade Union
„ Trade Unions should form a labour party and
the trade unions in the country should be
affiliated to it
„ There should be legal provision for the
recognition of the representative union
„ Trade Unions should extent welfare
measures to the members
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STEPS TO STRENGTHEN TRADE UNION
MOVEMENT IN INDIA
• The Trade Union Act should be amended
• Trade Unions should not unnecessarily
interfere in the management decision