The shortcomings or the weakness of the trade union movement in India are as follows:

1. Lack of Balanced Growth

Trade unions are often associated with big industrial houses. A vast majority of the working population is
without any union backing. The entire agricultural sector is highly unorganized in India. The agricultural
workers are subject to all kinds of exploitation. The same is true with respect to those working in small scale
and cottage industries. Lack of balanced growth of trade unions in all sectors is one of the majorweakness of
the trade union movement in India.
2. Low Membership-Trade unions , with the exception of few have low membership. This is because many
employees are not willing to join unions although they are ready to enjoy the benefits arising out of the union
actions. The reasons for the hesitation of employees to join unions include, among others, the need to take pat
in strikes and such other programmes, fear of pay cut and fear of punishment.
3. Poor financial Position-Low membership is one of the reasons for the poor financial position of the unions.
Moreover, the subscription payable by every member is kept low. Some members may not even make a
prompt payment of the small amount of subscription. These are also not very many sources from which unions
can get funds. They may probably depend on contributions from philanthropists. The poor financial position
can only weaken the trade union movement.
4. Political Control-Most popular trade unions in India are affiliated to certain political parties. These political
parties are only keen on making every grievance of the working class a political issue to attain political gains.
As a result the problem only gets wide publicity and remains unsolved.
5. Multiplicity of Unions-Often there exists more than one union within the same industry each backed by a
political party. These various unions have conflicting ideology. If one union comes out with a strike proposal
another union may work against it. As a result, none of the unions is actually able to solve the problems of the
workers.
6. Inter-Union Rivalry-The existence of many unions within a particular industry paves way for what is called
inter-union rivalry. These unions do not work together for the cause of the workers. Each union may adopt a
different approach to the problem. The inter-union rivalry may become a more serious problem of the workers.
As a result, the employees are unable to derive the benefits of collective bargaining.
7. Lack of able Leaders-Another barrier to the growth of trade unions is the lack of able leaders. Some union
leaders give a strike call even for petty problems that can easily be resolved through talks. On the other hand,
there are leaders who have secret pact with the management. They get bribes from the government and work
against the interests of the employees. Some leaders dont convene a meeting of the general body at all even
when a crisis develops. They take unilateral decisions that are thrust on the employees.
8. Lack of Recognition-Most management is not prepared to recognize trade unions. This happens because of
any of the following reason.
The existence of low membership that reduces the bargaining power of the union.
The existence of more unions within the same industry.
Inter-union rivalry.
The indifferent attitude of the employees themselves towards trade unions.
9. Opposition from Employers-Apart from the fact that most employers are not prepared to recognize trade
unions, they also do not let their employees from a union. This the employers are able to achieve by adopting
certain punitive measures like intimidating employees victimizing union leaders, initiating disciplinary action
against employees indulging in union activities and so on. Some employers also start rival unions with the
support of certain employees. Sometimes, they may go to the extent of bribing union leaders to avert a strike or
such similar show of protest by employees. The employers fail to understand that the union enables the
employees to express their grievances in a democratic manner and can also be used as a means of promoting
better labor management relationships.
10. Indifferent Attitude of the Members-Union leaders alone cannot be blamed for the weakness of the trade
union movement. The indifferent attitude of the members of certain unions is also a barrier. Some members do
not even make a prompt payment of the subscription amount. The treasurer of the union has to go behind them,
remind and persuade them to pay the subscription that is often a very small amount. There are on the other
hand, members who do not attend the general body meetings nor do they bother to know what is discussed in
such meetings. There are still others who do not take part at all in any of the programmes of the union
organized to press the demands of the employees like slogan shouting procession, demonstration, hunger strike
etc. Members generally expect the office-bearers to do all that is necessary to achieve the demands.
2. Multiple unions: Multiple unionism both at the plant and industry levels pose a serious threat to
industrial peace and harmony in India. The situation of multiple unions is said to prevail when
two or more unions in the same plant or industry try to assert rival claims over each other and
function with overlapping jurisdiction. The multiple unions exist due to the existence of craft
unions, formations of two or more unions in the industry. Multiple unionism is not a
phenomenon unique to India. It exists even in advance countries like UK and USA. Multiple
unionism affects the industrial relations system both positively and negatively. It is sometimes
desirable for the healthy and democratic health of labour movement. It encourages a healthy
competition and acts as a check to the adoption of undemocratic practice, authoritative structure
and autocratic leadership. However, the negative impacts of multiple unions dominate the
positive impacts. The nature of competition tends to convert itself into a sense of unfair
competition resulting in inter-union rivalry. The rivalry destroys the feeling of mutual trust and
cooperation among leadership. It is a major cause for weakening the Trade Union Movement in
India. Multiple unionism also results in small size of the unions, poor finances, etc.

3. Union Rivalry: The formal basis for Trade Union Organisation is provided by the Indian
Trade Union Act, 1926. The relevant article reads as follows: Any seven or more members of a
trade union may be subscribing their name to the roles of the trade union and by otherwise
complying with the provisions of this act with respect to the registration, apply for registration of
the trade union under this Act.
This provision has led to the formation of multiple unions and resulted in interunion rivalry in
different industries. But the inter-union rivalry breaks the very purpose of the trade unions by
weakening the strength of collective bargaining. On the other hand, the existence of a single,
strong union not only protects the employee interests more effectively but also halts the various
unproductive activities of the unions and forces the leaders to concentrate on the strategic issues.
Further, it helps to bring about congenial industrial relations by bringing about a system of
orderliness in dealing with the employees and by facilitating expeditious settlement of disputes.

The state of rivalry between two groups of the same union is said to be inter union rivalry. Inter
and intra-union rivalries have been a potent cause of industrial disputes in the country. They are
responsible for weal bargaining power of trade unions in collective bargaining. These rivalries
are responsible for slow growth of trade union movement in the country.

4. Finance: Sound financial position is an essential ingredient for the effective functioning of
trade unions, because in the process of rendering services or fulfilling their goals, trade unions
have to perform a variety of functions and organise programmes which require enormous
financial commitments. Hence, it is imperative on the part of a trade union to strengthen its
financial position.

But it is felt that the income and expenditure of trade unions in India over the years is such, with
few exceptions, that the financial position of the union is generally weak, affecting their
functioning. It is opined that, trade unions could be more effective, if they paid more attention
to strengthening their organisations and achieving higher attention of financial solvency.

The primary source of income to the unions is membership subscription. Their other sources of
union finances are donations, sale of periodicals, etc. The items of expenditure include:
allowances to office bearers, salaries to office, annual convention/meeting expenses, rents,
stationery, printing, postage, telegrams, etc.

Most of the trade unions in India suffer from inadequate funds. This unsound financial position is
mostly due to low membership and low rate of membership fee. Trade Union Act, 1926,
prescribed the membership fee at 25 paise per member per month. But the National Commission
on Labour recommended the increase of rate of membership subscription from 25 paise to Re. 1
in the year 1990. But the Government did not accept this recommendation.

As the National Commission on Labour observes, an important factor limiting the effective
functioning of unions in our country has been their financial weakness.. In most unions, poor
finances are the result of inadequate membership strength. This in turn, can be traced to the small
size of units. In a majority of unions, the rate of contributions required of members is also small.
With a relatively low rte of unionisation, total funds collected are small. The general picture of
finances of unions is disappointing.

5. Low membership: The average membership figures of each union are quite depressing. In
1992-93 the average membership figure was 632, a steady fall from 3,594 per union from 1927-
28. Because of their small size, unions suffer from lack of adequate funds and find it difficult to
engage the services of experts to aid and advise members in times of need. They cant bargain
with the employer effectively on their own.

6. Heterogeneous nature of labour: Since workers come to the factory with varying
backgrounds, it is difficult for them to put a joint front in case of trouble. Employers exploit the
situation, under the circumstances, by dividing workers on the basis of race, religion, language,
caste, etc.

7. Lack of Interest: For a large majority of workers, unionism even today remains a foreign
issue. In fact, workers avoid union activities out of sheer disinterestedness. Those who become
part of the union, do not also participate in the union work enthusiastically. In such a scenario, it
is not surprising to find outside political leaders exploiting the situation serve their own personal
agenda.

8. Absence of paid office bearers: Weak finances do not permit unions to engage the services
of full time, paid office bearers. Union activists, who work on a part time basis, neither have the
time nor the energy to take up union activities sincerely and diligently.

9. Other problems: The other factors responsible for the unsound functioning of trade unions in
India are: 1. Illiteracy:Workers in India fail to understand the implications of modern trade
unionism. Their illiteracy coupled with ignorance and indifference account for the predominance
of outside leadership.2.Uneven growth: Trade unionism activities are, more or less, confined to
major metros in India and traceable only in large scale units (especially cotton textile. The
membership fees should be raised as the amount of wages of the workers increased significantly,
compared to the situation in 1926 when Trade Union Act provided for the collection of 25 paise
per month per member as subscription fee. Even amended Rs.l/- is not sufficient. Some other
source of finance may also explored to make trade union financially healthy.

The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) is the oldest trade unionfederations in India and
one of the five largest. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, AITUC had
a membership of 2,677,979 in 2002.
[1]

It was founded on 31 October 1920 in Bombay by N. M. Joshi, Lala Lajpat Raiand a few others
and, until 1945 when unions became organised on party lines, it was the primary trade union
organisation in India. Since then it has been associated with the Communist Party of India.
AITUC is governed by a body headed by National President Rajedra Kumar and General
Secretary Gurudas Dasgupta, both the politician affiliated withCommunist Party of India.
AITUC is a founder member of the World Federation of Trade Unions. Today, its institutional
records are part of the Archives at the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, at Teen Murti House,
Delhi.
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) is the trade union wing of the Indian National
Congress. It was founded May 3, 1947, and is affiliated with the International Trade Union
Confederation. According to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, INTUC had a
membership of 3,892,011 in 2002.
[3]
INTUC is widely accepted as a trade union that works with
the management and is not a typical confrontational organisation.
Birth and growth of INTUC
The foundation of INTUC on 3 May 1947-just 3 months before India attained independence.
Acharya JB Kripalani, who was then President of the Indian National Congress inaugurated the
Founding conference of INTUC which was presided over bySardar Vallabhai Patel. Among the
distinguished leaders who attended the opening session were Pandit Jawaharlal
Nehru,Shankarrao Deo, Jagjivan Ram, B. G. Kher, OP Mehtab, Aruna Asaf Ali, Ram Manohar
Lohia, Ashoka Mehta, Ramchandra Sakharam Ruikar, Maniben Patel and other prominent trade
unionists.
[4]

Under the guidance of Mahatma Gandhi, the founding fathers in their wisdom preferred to let
the INTUC have an independent identity with its own constitution, while at the same time
functioning as an arm of the Congress.
Objectives of INTUC
To establish an order of society which is free from hindrance in the way on an all round
development of its individual members, which fosters the growth of human personality in
all its aspects and goes to the utmost limit in progressively eliminating social political or
economic exploitation and inequality, the profit motive in the economic activity and
organization of society and the anti-social concentration in any form.
To place industry under national ownership and control in suitable form in order to realize the
aforesaid objectives in the quickest time.
To organize society in such a manner as to ensure full employment and the best utilization of its
manpower and other resources.
To secure increasing association of the worker in the administration of industry and their full
participation in its control.
To promote generally the social civic and political interest of the working class to secure an
effective and complete organization of all categories of workers, including agricultural labour.
To guide and co-ordinate the activities of the affiliated organizations.
To assist and co-ordinate the activities of the affiliated organizations.
To assist in the formation of trade unions.
To promote the organization of workers of each industry on a nation-wide basis.
To assist in the formation of Regional or Pradesh Branches or Federations.
To secure speedy improvement of conditions of work and life and of the status of the workers in
industry and society.
To obtain for the workers various measures of social security, including adequate provision in
respect of accidents, maternity, sickness, old age and unemployment.
The HMS was founded in Howrah on December 24, 1948, by socialists,Forward Bloc followers
and independent unionists. Its founders includedBasawon Singh (Sinha), Ashok Mehta, R.S.
Ruikar, Maniben Kara, Shibnath Banerjee, R.A. Khedgikar, T.S. Ramanujam, V.S. Mathur, G.G.
Mehta. R.S. Ruikar was elected president and Ashok Mehta general secretary. HMS absorbed
the Royist Indian Federation of Labour and the socialist Hind Mazdoor Panchayat
[citation needed]
. In
March 1949, HMS claimed to have 380 affiliated unions with a combined membership of 618
802
The Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS, a Hindi name with approximate meaning 'Workers Assembly
of India') is a national trade union center in India.
United Trade Union Congress is a central trade union organisation in India. UTUC is politically
tied to Revolutionary Socialist Party. Abani Roy is the general secretary of UTUC.
[1]
According
to provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, UTUC had a membership of 383,946 in
2002.
[2]

UTUC was founded at an All India Labour Conference in Calcutta, May 1, 1949. The founding
president was professor K.T. Shah, a member of the Constituent Assembly from Bombay, and
the founding general secretary was Mrinal Kanti Bose, a former AITUC president from Bengal.
At the time of its foundation, Bose claimed that the organisation consisted of 236 unions with a
combined membership of 347,428.
[3]

Initially, UTUC profiled itself as an independent trade union centre, organising members of
different leftwing factions. In 1953 the Deputy Labour Minister of India, Abid Ali, estimated the
UTUC membership at 384 962. At the time UTUC had 332 affiliated unions.
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of, or proper practices for, an
individual, party or organization. Related concepts include ethical,honor and moral codes, as
well as halachic and religious laws
A common code of conduct is written for employees of a company, which protects the business
and informs the employees of the company's expectations. It is ideal for even the smallest of
companies to form a document containing important information on expectations for employees.
The document does not need to be complex or have elaborate policies, but the file needs a
simple basis of what the company expects from each employee.