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PowerPoint Presentation by Charlie Cook Copyright 2005 South-Western. All rights reserved.
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2. Philosophy of Laissez-Faire The dominant philosophy of Laissez-faire and economic liberalism prevented the state from coming to the rescue of the suffering mass of industrial workers. 3. Lack of bargaining power on the part of workers An individual workman, was a tool in the hands of the employers. Being economically dependent on the employer, he had neither the bargaining skill, nor the trade acumen to have his demands met. 4. Individual dispensability but collective indispensability The individual workman was dispensable to the employer but workmen, collectively, were indispensable to him. This realisation of collective indispensability was a watershed in the history of the working class. In it lay the roots of collective bargaining which later resulted in trade unionism.
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c) Discipline: Trade unions not only conduct negotiations in respect of the items with which their working conditions may be improved but also protect the workers from the clutches of management whenever workers become the victims of managements unilateral acts and disciplinary policies. This victimization may take the form of penal transfers, suspensions, dismissals, etc. Thus, the victimised worker may be protected by the trade union. d) Personnel Policies: Trade unions may fight against improper implementation of personnel policies in respect of recruitment, selection, promotions, transfers, training, income security etc. e) Welfare: As stated earlier, trade unions are meant for the welfare of workers. Trade union works as a guide, consulting authority and cooperates in overcoming the personnel problems of workers
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f) Employee-employer relation g) Negotiating machinery: Trade union being a party for negotiations, protects the interests of workers through collective bargaining and works as the negotiating machinery. h) Safeguarding organizational health and the interest of the industry: Trade unions help in reducing the rate of absenteeism, labour turnover and developing systematic grievance settlement procedures leading to harmonious industrial relations. Trade unions can thus contribute to the improvements in level of production and productivity, discipline and improve quality of work life.
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White collar workers association White collared workers are registered under the
Trade unions Act or the Societies Registration Act
So known as employees union or employee or staff associations Suffer much less from multiplicity, politicalisation and outside leadership
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While the trade unions acted speedily and formed the AITUC in 1920.efforts to set up employers association took some time Later on led to the formation of All India Organisation of employers and Employers federation of India. Later in 1956, a superstructure called Council of Indian Employers was formed bringing both AIOE and EFI under one umbrella
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Revolutionary theory Propounded by Marx and Hegels According to it instruments of production must belong to workers.
TU are preparations for a revolution in which capitalists must be destroyed. Workers must take over industry and government. But events in USSR could not lend support to the theory
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It suggests democracy in industry as in government It suggests that through Unions, the workers protect themselves from the power and influence of owner All rules and regulations are developed in order to protect the rights of the Labour
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Business theory
Put forth by Samuel Gompers Emphasised that the primary objective of the unions was to protect the economic interest of the workers.
Gompers viewed unions as the labor's collective voice in the industrial world. He wanted to partner with business to promote higher wages (and higher profits). Gompers viewed unions as the labor component of a business operation, neither superior nor inferior to the management component, but just as essential This theory opposes the revolutionary theory
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Socio-Psychological theory
According
to this theory, workers join union to meet their socio-psychological needs like physiological, security, companionship etc
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Change theory
As per Selig Perlman,
the objectives of labour movement changes from time to time. Though he did emphasize upon union being based upon scarcity consciousness. Hence no simple theory can explain union and labour relations. Perlman explains the state of labor movement according to three factors: 1.The resistance power of capitalism, 2.The role and influence of the intellectual and 3.The maturity of the home grown trade union movem
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The first phase falls between 1850 and 1900 during which the inception of trade unions took place. During this period of the growth of Indian Capitalist enterprises, the working and living conditions of the labour were poor and their working hours were long. Their wages were low and general economic conditions were poor in industries. Guided by educated philanthropists and social workers like Mr.N.K. Lokhande, the growth of trade union movement was slow in this phase. Many strikes took place in the two decades following 1880 in all industrial cities. These strikes taught workers to understand the power of united action even though there was no union in real terms. Small associations like Bombay Mill-Hands Association came up which is known as the first TU in India
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Printers union in Calcutta in 1905 Postal union in Madras and Calcutta in 1907 Kamgaar Hitwardhak Sabha in 1910 These were basically welfare organisations with a touch of unionism
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Phase IIcontd.,
1914-1918- 1st world war: The World War I and the intensification of Indian Independence struggle assisted the growth of Indian trade union movement. 1917-Russian revolution The Russian revolution and the communist government formation in Russia consolidated the workers movement all over the world. 1919- formation of ILO- this consolidated the workers rights and gave international recognition and respectability to trade Unionism
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Phase IIcontd.,
1920- AITUC- was formed with the fusion of 107 unions in 1920 In 1920, first Trade Disputes Act was passed indirectly stifling or making unions illegal Subsequent industrial unrest and the international pressures exerted through ILO led to Factories Act in 1922, Indian Mines Act 1923, Workmens Compensation Act 1923 were enacted. Lastly Indian Trade Union Act was passed in 1926
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The third phase began with the emergence of independent India (in 1947), and the Government sought the cooperation of the unions for planned economic development. The working class movement was also politicized along the lines of political parties. For instance Indian national trade Union Congress (INTUC) is the trade union arm of the Congress Party. The AITUC is the trade union arm of the Communist Party of India. Besides workers, white-collar employees, supervisors and managers are also organized by the trade unions, as for example in the Banking, Insurance and Petroleum industries. A large number of Labour legislations were passed. Formation of the TU in the lines of politicl parties also started
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The post-independence period has been important for the trade union movement in India. The most important factors being:
The constant inflow of outside and international influences; The pressure of trade union rivalries, often based on political or ideological differences; Governments Industrial Relations Policy with its provision for compulsory adjudication machinery; The enactment of labour laws conferring special privileges on registered trade unions; Desire of workers to unite for safeguarding their interest especially to face harder conditions for labour such as retrenchment, lay-off, etc.,
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The Indian trade unions have come to stay now not as ad-hoc bodies or strike committees but as permanent features of the industrial society. The unions succeeded in organizing Central Union Federations which help in the determination of principles, philosophy, ideology and purposes of the unions and give some sense of direction to the otherwise scattered and isolated large number of unions. The unions have achieved a remarkable status where their voices are heard by the government and the employers; they are consulted on matters pertaining to improvement in conditions of work health and safety, job security, wages, productivity, all matters concerning the interests of labour. The trade union rivalries have become sharper in free India. The splitting up of unions and formation of new unions having sympathies with political parties have permitted unions operating at different levels.
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