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FUNCTUINS AND ROLE OF TRADE UNION

The basic functions of unions are to protect the interest of the workers and conditions
of their employment. To attain their objectives the trade unions perform the
following functions:

(i) Achieving higher wages and better working and living conditions for the
members;
(ii) Advise the management on personnel policies and practices
(iii) Minimizing helplessness of individual workers by making them stand
collectively and protecting members against victimization and injustice;
(iv) Raising the status of workers as partners of the industry and by demanding
increasing share for the workers in the management of industrial
enterprises.
(v) Providing a worker self confidence and a feeling that he is not simply a
clog in the machine:
(vi) Educating the workers to have sincerity and discipline;
(vii) Taking up welfare measures for improving the morale of the workers and
(viii) To protect the right to be consulted on matters affecting the workers
interest.

The National Commission on Labour has pointed out the following basic functions of
trade unions on which the trade unions have to pay greater attention:

(i) To secure for workers fair wages;


(ii) To safeguard security of tenure and improve conditions of service;
(iii) To enlarge opportunities for promotion and training
(iv) To improve working and living conditions;
(v) To provide for educational, cultural and recreational facilities;
(vi) To cooperate in and facilitate technological advance by broadening the
understanding of workers on it underlying issues;
(vii) To promote identity of interest of workers with their industry;
(viii) To offer responsive cooperation in improving level of production and
productivity, discipline and high standard of quality ;
(ix) To promote individual and collective welfare

Further the functions of trade union can be divided into for categories:

(a) Militant Function


(b) Fraternal Functions
(c) Social Function
(d) Political Functions
(a) Militant Function – These functions include protecting the worker’s
interest i.e. hike in wages, providing more benefits, job security etc.
through collective bargaining and direct action such as strike, gheraos
etc.
(b) Fraternal Function – These functions include providing financial and
non financial assistance to workers during the period of strikes and
lock-outs, extension of medical facilities during sickness and
causalities,, provision of education, recreation, recreational and
housing facilities, provision of social and religious benefits etc.
(c) Social Function – These functions include carrying out social service
activities, discharging social responsibilities through various sections
of society like educating the customers and
(d) Political Function – These functions include affiliating a union to a
political party, helping the political party in enrolling members,
collecting donations, canvassing during the election period, seeking
the help of political parties during the strikes and lock-outs

METHODS OF TRADE UNIONS

In order to achieve their goals, the trade unions can adopt any or combination of the
following methods:-

1. Method of Mutual Insurance


2. Method of Collective Bargaining
3. Method of Legal Enactment /Political
4. Method of Direct Action

1. Mutual Insurance – Mutual relates that this method consists mainly of welfare
activities by trade union for their members. To provide medical aid,
educational loan, recreational activities, credit facilities are coming under
mutual insurance. Due to weak economic conditions , in India t is not
possible.
2. Method of Collective Barraging – This a bi-partite method of settling
industrial disputes. This Since unions are weak and there is no uniform law for
recognition of a representative union, collective bargaining has not made
much head way in India.
3. Legal Enactment/Political Action - Under this method the trade union take
the help of the political parties for securing better working and living
condition for the workers. These political parties put pressure on the
government to enact laws for improving terms of employment of the worker
to improving their working conditions.
4. Direct Action _ This consist of strikes, gheraos, bands etc Since the after
effects of such actions are harmful for the industry and national, it should be
avoided and should b adopted as last resort.

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