INTRODUCTION

A trade union or trades union, also called a labour union or labor

union, is an organization of workers who have come together to achieve
common goals such as protecting the integrity of its trade, improving
safety standards, achieving higher pay and benefits such as health care
and retirement, increasing the number of employees an employer assigns
to complete the work, and better working conditions. The trade union,
through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union
members (rank and file members) and negotiates labour
contracts (collective bargaining) with employers. The most common
purpose of these associations or unions is "maintaining or improving the
conditions of their employment".[1] This may include the negotiation
of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing
and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.
 CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND
Development of modern industry, especially in the Western countries, can be traced back to
the 18th century. Industrial development in India on Western lines, however commenced
from the middle of the 19th century. The first organised Trade Union in India named as the
Madras Labour Union was formed in the year 1918. Since then a large number of unions
sprang up in almost all the industrial centres of the country. Similarly, entrepreneurs also
formed their organisations to protect their interests.

DEFINATION

Trade Unions are the groups set-up with the aim of trying to create fairness and job
security in a workplace.

Section 2(h) of the Trade Union Act,1926 has define a trade union as:

Any combination, whether temporary or permanent, former primarily for the

purpose of regulating the relation between workman and workmen or between employers,
or for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business, and includes
any federation of two or more trade unions.

Features of trade unions:

I. It is an organisation formed by employees or workers.

II. It is formed on a continuous basis. It is a permanent body and not a casual or temporary
one.

III. It is formed to protect and promote all kinds of interests economic, political and social-
of its members. The dominant interest with which a union is concerned is, however,
economic.

IV. It includes federations of trade unions also.

V. It achieves its objectives through collective action and group effort.

 Trade unions are organisations that represent people at work. Their purpose is to
protect and improve people's pay and conditions of employment. They also
campaign for laws and policies which will benefit working people.

Trade unions exist because an individual worker has very little power to influence
decisions that are made about his or her job. By joining together with other
workers, there is more chance of having a voice and influence.

All sorts of jobs and industries are covered by trade unions. Some unions
represent people who do a particular job or work in a specific industry - for
example, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), as its name suggests, represents
journalists, and the Union for Finance Staff (UNIFI) is made up of people who do
different jobs in the financial sector.

Other unions include a mixture of people in different jobs and sectors. The biggest
unions in Britain - the GMB, UNISON and the Transport and General Workers
Union (TGWU) represent people working in a range of different occupations and
industries in the public and private sectors. Often this is because unions have
merged with other unions so that they can increase their membership and their
influence.

What do unions do?

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.

Negotiation

Representation

Information and advice

Member services

Negotiation

Negotiation is where union representatives discuss with management issues which affect
people working in an organisation. 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'.

In many workplaces there is a formal agreement between the union and the company which
states that the union has the right to negotiate with the employer. In these organisations,
unions are said to be 'recognised' for 'collective bargaining' purposes.

Pay, working hours, holidays and changes to working practices are the sorts of issues that
are negotiated. People who work in organisations where unions are recognised are better
paid and are less likely to be made redundant than people who work in organisations where
unions are not recognised.

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. They are made up of people outside the workplace who listen to the
employer's and the employee's point of view and then make a judgement about the case.
People can ask their union to represent them at industrial tribunals. Most cases that go to
industrial tribunals are about pay, unfair dismissal, redundancy or discrimination at work.

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.

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

Financial discounts - People can get discounts on mortgages, insurance and loans from
unions.

Welfare benefits - 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
What is the role of trade unions in industrial disputes?

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 work-to-
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.
 Trade Union in India and World

A trade union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common
goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions.

Basically a trade union bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and
negotiates with employers.

The History

The origins of trade unions' existence can be traced from the eighteenth century, where the
rapid expansion of industrial society drew women, children, rural workers, and immigrants to
the work force in larger numbers and in new roles. This pool of unskilled and semi-skilled
labor spontaneously organized in fits and starts throughout its beginnings,[1] and would later
be an important arena for the development of trade unions.

unions were illegal for many years in most countries. There were severe penalties for
attempting to organize unions, up to and including execution. Despite this, unions were
formed and began to acquire political power, eventually resulting in a body of labor law that
not only legalized organizing efforts, but codified the relationship between employers and
those employees organized into unions. Even after the legitimization of trade unions there
was opposition.

The right to join a trade union is mentioned in article 23, subsection 4 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which also states in article 20, subsection 2 that "No
one may be compelled to belong to an association". Prohibiting a person from joining or
forming a union, as well as forcing a person to do the same (e.g. "closed shops" or "union
shops", see below), whether by a government or by a business, is generally considered a
human rights abuse. Similar allegations can be leveled if an employer discriminates based on
trade union membership.
Unions in the 21st Century

Structure and politics

Union structures, politics, and legal status vary greatly from country to country. For specific
country details see below.

A rally of the trade union UNISON in Oxford during a strike on 2006-03-28.

Unions may organize a particular section of skilled workers (craft unionism), a cross-section
of workers from various trades (general unionism), or attempt to organize all workers within a
particular industry (industrial unionism). These unions are often divided into "locals", and
united in national federations. These federations themselves will affiliate with Internationals,
such as the International Trade Union Confederation.

In many countries, a union may acquire the status of a "juristic person" (an artificial legal
entity), with a mandate to negotiate with employers for the workers it represents. In such
cases, unions have certain legal rights, most importantly the right to engage in collective
bargaining with the employer (or employers) over wages, working hours, and other terms and
conditions of employment. The inability of the parties to reach an agreement may lead to
industrial action, culminating in either strike action or management lockout, or binding
arbitration. In extreme cases, violent or illegal activities may develop around these events.

In other circumstances, unions may not have the legal right to represent workers, or the right
may be in question. This lack of status can range from non-recognition of a union to political
or criminal prosecution of union activists and members, with many cases of violence and
deaths having been recorded both historically and contemporarily.

Unions may also engage in broader political or social struggle. Social Unionism encompasses
many unions that use their organizational strength to advocate for social policies and
legislation favorable to their members or to workers in general. As well, unions in some
countries are closely aligned with political parties.

Unions are also delineated by the service model and the organizing model. The service model
union focuses more on maintaining worker rights, providing services, and resolving disputes.
Alternately, the organizing model typically involves full-time union organizers, who work by
building up confidence, strong networks, and leaders within the workforce; and
confrontational campaigns involving large numbers of union members. Many unions are a
blend of these two philosophies, and the definitions of the models themselves are still
debated.

Although their political structure and autonomy varies widely, union leaderships are usually
formed through democratic elections.

Some research, such as that conducted by the ACIRRT,[9] argues that unionized workers
enjoy better conditions and wages than those who are not unionized.
In Britain, the perceived left-leaning nature of trade unions has resulted in the formation of a
reactionary right-wing trade union called Solidarity which is supported by the far-right BNP.

Trade Union in India

Preamble [25th March, 1926]

An act to provide for the registration of Trade Unions and in certain respects to define the law
relating to registered Trade Unions.

The Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices
Act, 1971

Preamble

MAHARASHTRA ACT NO. I OF 1972.

An Act to provide for the recognition of trade unions for facilitating collective bargaining for
certain undertakings, to state their rights, and obligations; to confer certain powers on
unrecognised unions; to provide for declaring certain strikes and lock-outs as illegal strikes
and lock-outs; to define and provide for the prevention of certain unfair labour practices; to
constitute courts (as independent machinery) for carrying out the purposes of according
recognition to trade unions and for enforcing the provisions relating to unfair practices; and to
provide for matters connected with the purposes aforesaid. WHEREAS, by Government
Resolution, Industries and Labour Department, No. IDA. 1367-LAB-II, dated the 14th
February 1968, the Government of Maharashtra appointed a Committee called "the
Committee on Unfair Labour Practices" for defining certain activities of employers and
workers and their organisations which should be treated as unfair labour practices and for
suggesting action which should be taken against employers or workers, or their organisations,
for engaging in such unfair labour practices; AND
WHEREAS, after taking into consideration the report of the Committee Government is of
opinion that it is expedient to provide for the recognition of trade unions for facilitating
collective bargaining for certain undertakings; to state their rights and obligations; to confer
certain powers on unrecognised unions; to provide for declaring certain strikes and lock-outs
as illegal strikes and lock-outs; to define and provide for the prevention of certain unfair
labour practices; to constitute courts (as independent machinery) for carrying out the purposes
of according recognition to trade unions and for enforcing provisions relating to unfair
practices; and to provide for matters connected with the purposes aforesaid; It is hereby
enacted in the Twenty-second Year of the Republic of India as follows :-

3. DEFINITIONS. - In this Act, unless the context requires otherwise, - (1) "Bombay Act"
means the Bombay Industrial Relations Act, 1946, Bom. XI of 1947;

(2) "Central Act" means the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, XIV of 1947;

(3) "concern" means any premises including the precincts thereof where any industry to
which the Central Act applies is carried on;

(4) "Court" for the purposes of Chapters VI and VII means the Industrial Court, or as the case
may be, the Labour Court :

(5) "employee" in relation to an industry to which the Bombay Act for the time being applies,
means an employee as defined in clause (13) of section 3 of the Bombay Act; and in any other
case, means a workman as defined in clause (s) of section 2 of the Central Act;

(6) "employer" in relation to an industry to which the Bombay Act applies, means an
employer as defined in clause (14) of section 3 of the Bombay Act; and in any other case,
means an employer as defined in clause (g) of section 2 of the Central Act;

(7) "Industry" in relation to an industry to which the Bombay Act applies means an industry
as defined in clause (19) of section 3 of the Bombay Act, and in any other case, means an
industry as defined in clause (j) of section 2 of the Central Act;

(8) "Industrial Court" means an Industrial Court constituted under section 4;

(9) "Investigating Officer" means an officer appointed under section 8;

(10) "Labour Court" means a Labour Court constituted under section 6;

(11) "member" means a person who is an ordinary member of a union, and has paid a
subscription to the union of not less than 50 paise per calender month :

Provided that, no person shall at any time be deemed to be a member, if his subscription is in
arrears for a period of more than three calendar months during the period of a six months
immediately preceding such time, and the expression "membership" shall be construed,
accordingly.

Explanation : A subscription for a calender month shall, for the purpose of this clause, be
deemed to be in arrears, if such subscription is not paid within three months after the end of
the calender months in respect of which it is due;

(12) "order" means an order of the Industrial or Labour Court;

(13) "recognised union" means a union which has been issued a certificate of recognition
under Chapter III;

(14) "Schedule" means a Schedule to this Act;

(15) "undertaking" for the purposes of Chapter III, means any concern in industry to be one
undertaking for the purpose of that Chapter :

Provided that, the State Government may notify a group of concerns owned by the same
employer in any industry to be undertaking for the purpose of that Chapter;

(16) "unfair labour practices" means unfair labour practice as defined in section 26;

(17) "union" means a trade union of employees, which is registered under the Trade Unions
Act, 1926;

(18) words and expressions used in this Act and not defined therein, but defined in the
Bombay Act, shall, in relation to an industry to which the provisions of the Bombay Act
apply, have the meanings assigned to them by the Bombay Act; and in other case, shall have
the meanings assigned to them by the Central Act.

Trade Unionism has made its headway owing to growth of industrialisation and capitalism.
Trade Unionism asserts collectively the rights of the workers. In industrially advanced
countries trade unionism has made a great impact on the social, political and economic life.
India, being an agricultural country, trade unionism is restricted to industrial areas and it is
still in a stage of growth. The earliest known trade unions in India were the Bombay
Millhand's Association formed in 1890, the Amalgamated Society of railway servants of India
and Burma formed in 1897, Printers' Union formed in Calcutta in 1905, the Bombay Postal
Union which was formed in 1907, the Kamgar Hitwardhak Sabha Bombay formed in 1910.
Trade Union movement began in India after the end of First World War. After a decade
following the end of First World War the pressing need for the coordination of the activities
of the individual unions was recognised. Thus, the All India Trade Union Congress was
formed in 1920 on a National Basis, the Central Labour Board, Bombay and the Bengal
Trades Union Federation were formed in 1922. The All India Railwaymen's Federation was
formed in the same year and this was followed by the creation of both Provincial and Central
federations of unions of postal and telegraph employees. The origin of the passing of a Trade
Unions Act in India was the historic Buckingham Mill case of 1940 in which the Madras
High Court granted an interim injunction against the Strike Committee of the Madras Labour
Union forbidding them to induce certain workers to break their contracts of employment by
refusing to return to work. Trade Union leaders found that they were liable to prosecution and
imprisonment for bona fide union activities and it was felt that some legislation for the
protection of trade union was necessary. In March, 1921, Shri N. M. Joshi, then General
Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress, successfully moved a resolution in the
Central Legislative Assembly recommending that Government should introduce legislation
for the registration and protection of trade unions. Opposition from employers to the adoption
of such a measure was, however, so great that it was not untill 1926 that the Indian Trade
Unions Act was passed. The Indian Trade Unions Bill, 1925 was introduced in the Central
Legislative Assembly to provide for the registration of Trade Unions and in certain respects to
define the law relating to registered Trade Unions in Provinces of India.

In India the Trade Union movement is generally divided on political lines. According to
provisional statistics from the Ministry of Labour, trade unions had a combined membership
of 24,601,589 in 2002. As of 2008, there are 11 Central Trade Union Organisations (CTUO)
recognised by the Ministry of Labour.

This Bill has been prescribed in response to the following Resolution which was adopted by
the Legislative Assembly on 1st March, 1924

"This Assembly recommends to the Governor-General in Council that he should take steps to
introduce, as soon as practicable, in the Indian Legislature, such legislation as may be
necessary for the registration of Trade Unions.

The question was examined in detail by the Government of India and local Governments were
consulted and public opinion was invited. In the light of opinions received a draft Bill was
prepared and published in September, 1924. The Government of India, after considering the
criticisms received on that Bill, see no ground for modifying the general principles underlying
the Bill, and except for minor alterations, the present Bill is a reproduction of the Bill
previously published.

The general scheme of the Bill is that a Trade Union making the necessary application will,
on compliance with certain stated conditions designed to ensure that the Union is a bona fide
Trade Union, and that adequate safeguards are provided for the rights of its members, be
entitled to registration. The Union and its members will thereupon receive protection in
certain cases in respect of both civil and criminal liability. No restriction is placed upon the
objects which a registered Trade Union may pursue, but the expenditure of its funds must be
limited to specified Trade Union purposes. The legal position of Trade Unions which do not
register will be unaffected by the Bill.

The Indian Trade Unions Bill, 1925 having been passed by the Legislature received its assent
on 25th March, 1926. It came into force on 1st June, 1927 as the Indian Trade Unions Act,
1926 (16 of 1926). By section 3 of the Indian Trade Unions (Amendment) Act, 1964 (38 of
1964) the word "Indian" has been omitted and now it is known as THE TRADE UNIONS
ACT, 1926 (16 of 1926).
Recognised CTUOs
Trade Unions
All India Central Council of Trade Unions
All India Trade Union Congress
All India United Trade Union Centre
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh
Centre for Indian Trade Unions
Hind Mazdoor Sabha
Indian National Trade Union Congress
Labour Progressive FederationSEWA
Trade Union Coordination Committee
United Trade Union Congress
Political affiliation
Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)
Liberation
Communist Party of India
Socialist Unity Centre of India
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
socialists
Indian National Congress
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
All India Forward Bloc
Revolutionary Socialist Party
Other trade union centres (incomplete list)

Akhil Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (Akhil
Bharatiya Sena)
All India Centre of Trade Unions
(Marxist Communist Party of
India (United))
All India Federation of Trade Unions
(marxist-leninists)
Andhra Pradesh Federation of Trade
Unions (Communist Party of India
(Marxist-Leninist))
Anna Thozhil Sanga Peravai (All India
Anna Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam)
Bharatiya Kamgar Sena (Shiv Sena)
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sabha (Provisional
Central Committee, Communist
Party of India (Marxist-Leninist))
Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat (Janata
Dal (United))
Indian Confederation of Labour
Indian Federation of Trade Unions
(Communist Party of India
(Marxist-Leninist) New
Democracy)
Kerala Trade Union Congress
(Kamgar Aghadi)
New Trade Union Initiative
Pattali Trade Union (Pattali Makkal
Katchi)
Socialist Trade Union Centre (SNDP)
Swatantra Thozhilali Union (Indian
Union Muslim League)
Telugu Nadu Trade Union Council
(Telugu Desam Party)
Trade Union Centre of India
(Communist Party of India
(Marxist-Leninist))
United Trade Union Congress
(Bolshevik) (Revolutionary
Socialist Party (Bolshevik))
United Trade Union Congress (Marxist)
(Revolutionary Socialist Party (Marxist))

(Kerala Congress, KTUC(B) belongs to

KC(B), KTUC(M) belongs to
KC(M), etc.)
Maharashtra General Kamgar Union
REGISTRATION OF TRADE UNIONS

Registration of a trade union is not compulsory but is desirable since a registered trade union enjoys
certain rights and privileges under the Act. Minimum seven workers of an establishment (or seven
employers) can form a trade union and apply to the Registrar for it registration.

The application for registration should be in the prescribed form and accompanied by the prescribed
fee, a copy of the rules of the union signed by at least 7 members, and a statement containing
(a) the names, addresses and occupations of the members making the application, (b) the name of the
trade union and the addresses of its head office, and (c) the titles, names, ages, addresses and
occupations of its office bearers.

If the union has been in existence for more than a year, then a statement of its assets and liabilities in
the prescribed form should be submitted along with the application.

The registrar may call for further information for satisfying himself that the application is complete and
is in accordance with the provisions, and that the proposed name does not resemble

On being satisfied with all the requirements, the registrar shall register the trade union and issue a
certificate of registration, which shall be conclusive evidence of its registration.

LEGAL STATUS OF A REGISTERED TRADE UNION

A registered trade union is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal.

It can acquire, hold sell or transfer any movable or immovable property and can be a party to contracts.

It can sue and be sued in its own name

No civil suit or other legal proceeding can be initiated against a registered trade union in respect of any
act done in furtherance of a trade dispute under certain conditions.

No agreement between the members of a registered trade union shall be void or voidable merely on the
ground that any of its objects is in restraint of trade.

APPOINTMENT OF OFFICE BEARERS

At least 50% of the office bearers of a union should be actually engaged or employed in the industry with
which the trade union is concerned, and the remaining 50% or less can be outsiders such as Lawyers,
politicians, social workers etc.

To be appointed as an office bearer or executive of a registered trade union, a person must have

attained the age of 18 years; and

not been convicted of any affiance involving moral turpitude and sentenced to imprisonment, or a period
of at least 5 years has elapsed since his release.

Dissolution - (1) When a registered Trade Union is dissolved, notice for the dissolution
signed by seven members and by the Secretary of the Trade Union shall, within fourteen
days of the dissolution, be sent to the Registrar and shall be registered by him if he is
satisfied the dissolution has been effected in accordance with the rules of the Trade
Union, and the dissolution shall have effect from the date of such regulation.

(2) Where the dissolution of a registered Trade Union has been registered and the rules of
the Trade Union do not provide for the distribution and funds of the Trade Union on
dissolution, the Registrar shall divide the funds amongst the member in such manner as
may be prescribed.
FUNCTIONS

Militant

Fraternal

Intra-mural activities

Extra-mural activitie

Political activities.

Reasons Why Employees Join Unions

Protection

Social pressure

Compulsion

Political beliefs

Solidarity

Tradition

Pay and conditions

Communication

Health and safety

CRITICISM OF TRADE UNION BY EMPLOYERS

Lack of education

May not welcome change

Strick on Illogical basis

Creation of Artificical scanity of labour

Undue demands relating to wages

Type of Union Description / Example

Craft of skills union To represent skilled workers e.g. Musicians Union (MU)

Industrial unions To represent the members of one particular industry e.g. Fire Brigades Union

(FBU)

General unions Unions which recruit workers from all types of industries and with any level or ra
Manufacturing Science and Finance Union (MSF)

White-collar unions Represent office workers e.g. National Union of Teachers (NUT)
STRUCTURE OF TRADE UNIONS

Plant level Federations

Local level Federations

Regional Level Federations

National Level Federations

Unions structure diagram

Union Members

Shop Stewards (Union Representatives)

Branches District and Regional Offices

National Office

Trade unions are democratic organisations which are accountable to their members for their
policies and actions. Unions are normally modelled 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 organisations 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
organisation 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 organisations. They are:

Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)

National Labour Organisation (NLO)

National Front of Indian Trade Unions

(NFITU)

Trade Union Congress Committee

LIMITATIONS
Uneven growth

Limited membership

Multiplicity of unions

Outside leadership

Financial problems

Indifferent attitude of workers

PROBLEMS AND WEAKNESS OF TRADE UNIONS

 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Better Wages

Better Working conditions

Bonus

Resist unsuitable schemes

Secure welfare

Project Interest of workers

Social welfare

Organisational growth and stablility

To resists scheme of the management which reduce employment eg.

Rationalization
To secure bonus for the employees from the profit of the concern
To secure better working conditions for workers
To improve the economic lot of employees by securing for them better
wages.
Objectives of Trade Unions & To secure organizational stability, growth.
To secure social welfare of the employees.
To protect the interest of employees by taking active participation in the
management.
To secure welfare of employees through group schemes which give benefit
to every employee automation & stability
RESEARCH & METHODOLOGY
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Individual Background of trade union officer
1) What is the name of the trade union you work for?
_______________________________________________

2) In which country do you work?

United Kingdom O
Germany O
France O
Romania O
Spain O
Italy O
India O

%. of Respondents
100
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
United Germany France Romania Spain Italy India
Kingdom
3) How long have you been a trade union Member?
1 3 years O
4 10 years O
11 15 years O
16 20 years O
more than 20 years O

35
35

30
25
25

20
15 15
15
10
10

0
1 3 years 4 10 years 11 15 years 16 20 years more than 20
years
4) In which sector(s) is the MNC operating? ________________________________
7) In which country is the global headquarters of the Trade Union Located? __________

%. of Respondents
100
100

80

60

40

20
0 0 0
0
India Srilanka Nepal Bhutan
8) How long have you been responsible for the MNC?
1 3 years O
4 6 years O
6 12 years O
more than 12 years O

14) What have been the topics of the training measures?

- language course O
- reading balance sheets O
- industrial relations systems O
- development of communication skills O
- the companys CSR strategy O
- other opics. Please
specify:_______________________________________

26) Who has responsibility for ensuring that the outcome of EWC meetings is communicated to the
workforce?

a) the single EWC members for their respective country O

b) the select committee O
c) the EWC assistant O
d) the central management O
e) other actors. Please specify:__________________________
f) there is no defined responsibility O
27) Does the EWC or do single EWC members communicate directly with the whole workforce? What
form does this take? (mark the appropriate answer, more answers possible)

a) assembly of employees O
b) via intranet O
c) via EWC website O
d) via email O
e) via newsletter O
 f) via company journal O
g) other forms. Please
specify:______________________________________
h) there is no direct communication with the workforce O

28) What kind of experts are used by the EWC?

a) trade union officer O

b) training expert O
c) labour lawyer O
d) economist O
e) sociologist O
f) technology exert O
g) other kind of experts. Please
specify:________________________________
h) the EWC does not use experts O

30.1) In case there is a coordination body at national level, how often does it
meet per year?

a) once a year O
b) twice a year O
c) three times O
d) four times O
e) More often. Please specify:_______________

30.2) Do you take part in the meetings of the coordination body? Yes O No O

31) In case of extraordinary meetings, is information of national structures of

representation of workers interest in good time guaranteed? Yes O No O
I do not know O

32) Have there been cases in which this information has shown to be useful at
local and/or national level? Yes O No O

33) In general, how do workforce representatives perceive the EWC?

a) influential O
b) useful O
c) peripheral and ineffective O
d) a threat to the role of lower-level IR institutions? O
SUGGESTIONS
Trade unions are always a matter of concern for the employers as well as employees in an organization.
Major conflicts and downfalls in organizations happen because of labour unions and the conflicting
demands. Therefore, this area of study could help in exploring the relationship between the demands of
labour unions and the satisfaction of the workers. This study gives an idea of correlation between
different parameters of trade unions. An insight on the level of importance workers place for different
parameters and the corresponding satisfaction, the presence of that factor provides to them. Now this
study can help the respective manufacturing units to alter the parameters measured in a way that the
overall satisfaction the workers derive from their jobs is maximised. Based on the study, few
recommendations that can be made are:

The membership services contribute most to satisfaction of the workers and therefore the units must
focus greatly on them. 5.2 Workers of the units do not feel that they are greatly involved or consulted
before the decisions are made. Hence, due consideration should be given to it. 5.3 Transparency should
be maintained between the trade union leaders and the members. 5.4 The electioneering process must
be just and fair to increase the satisfaction of the workers.

One Union Per Industry

Paid Union Officials

Development of Internal Leadership

Recognition of Trade Unions

Improved Financial condition

FINDINGS
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
organisation.

Unions are stepping up their efforts to attract new members. Some are using adverts in newspapers and
magazines, television commercials and leaflets as part of high profile recruitment campaigns. The target
for these efforts is often people who work part time, in temporary jobs or in small organisations where
in the past union membership has not been very high.

Begun in 1998, the 'New Unionism' project aimed to boost Trade Union membership, especially in
newly-emerging industries and amongst members of the population who have been under-represented
traditionally in the trade unions. The project set up new union roles of Academy Organisers who were
trained intensively for 12 months in order to work as specialist union organisers. Research was carried
out by Cardiff Business School in 2003 into the project's effectiveness; the resulting report is The
Organising Academy - five years on.
CONCLUSION
In the recent years, attention to the quality of work and, in particular, to working conditions is
increasing. The empirical question regards, which parameter of the existence of trade unions help the
workmen derive maximum satisfaction in an organization. Using the data of a CD manufacturing unit in
Delhi NCR, considered under the study, we have tried to answer that question. The study found out
evidence of a positive and statistical relationship between workmen satisfaction and membership
services available to them as a benefit of the existence of a trade union. Also there exists a high degree
of correlation between satisfaction and accountability granted to them. However, accountability,
rational feedback mechanism and Electioneering process, still need to be focused upon by these
companies as the benefits under the union membership are not viewed to contribute to workmen
satisfaction.