what is trade union

7/27/2019 What is Trade Union

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What is Trade union? What are the objectives of the formation of trade unions?Explain the role and future of Trade unions.

Ans:- Trade Union Act was set up in 1926. Trade union is an combination whethertemporary or permanent formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relationbetween workmen and employees, workers and workers, between employees and

employees or for imposing restrictive conditions or conduct of any trade or business andinclude any federation of two or more trade unions.

According to Webb.:

A Trade Union is the continuous association of wage earns for thepurpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their working lines.

Features/Objectives of trade union:

Trade unions are essentially Organisations for the protection & promotion

of interests of their members and workers . The trade union generally pursue thefollowing broad objectives:-

1. The trade union is voluntary association.Trade union is not a compulsory association but voluntary association of

workers, who may be in one or more industries & occupation2. Common Interests:

There is certain common interest of the member workers. The leader of theTrade Union is supposed to pursue and protect the economic & other interest of themembers which leader to their welfare.3. Collective action:-

Through discussions in the meeting of Trade Union leader of the union takescollective steps to press their demand before the management.4. Permanent & Continuous association:

Trade Union permanent & continuous association but main function tomaintaining or improving the conditions of workers.5. Economic benefits:

Trade union association engaged in securing economic benefits- maintainprice of labour & conditions.6. Gaining legislative identify:-

The trade union also tries to give the legal identify the workers.7. Other benefits:

Such as cultural, political, social and psychological are also within their broaderpreview.8. Precious benefits:

To safeguard their interests

To participate in union activities.

To exercise leadership

Prof T M KUTHUBUDEEN M B A Dept MSCAS


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To get hike in wage rate.

To maintain good relation.

To maintain adequate working conditions

To get a media of communication

To do fair dealing

To get employment

To get strengthen.

Role of Trade Unions

Trade union performs various role regarding the various classes of the society asfollows:

(A) Role towards the trade union member:-

To safeguard the workers conditions and parties, education , housing, co-

operative

To ensure health, safe, protect conducive work condition.

To guarantee a fair deal and social justice to workers.

To make the workers aware about their rights and duties, settle the disputes

through negotiation.

B) Role toward the industrial organisation.:

To promote identify of interest

To help in maintenance of discipline

To create opportunities for workersparticipation in management and to facilitate

communication with management.

Maintain harmonic relationship between workers and management

C) Role towards the Trade Union organisation

- To improve financial position and improve workers network of commercialbetween union & its members.

- To maintain strengthen, necessary records, resolve the problem.

- To manage the Trade union organisation on scientific lines

- To train members to assume leadership postion.



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D) Role toward society:

- To actively participate in the development of the programs of nationaldevelopment such as family planning, fore situation effective implementationapply, cooperation etc.

- To enable unorganized sector to organize itself.

Future of Trade Union: In India trade unions are regulated by the Indian trade unionact 1926. All present there are about 48000 registered workers. Unions and 10 centrallabour organizations in our country.

Some important features of these unions are as follows:1. As the National Commission on labour in India points out the structure of our unions

and their types do not admit of any simple generalization of the three types ofunions (general union, craft union, industrial union). Industrial union is mostprominent in our country, craft unions are found among non-industrial and

professional workers only. Thus we have the unions of taxi-drivers, tango-drivers,bank employees etc. union divide into three categories.

- Primary unions which operate at the plant level- Regional federations which work at the regional level- Central labour organizations, which operate at the national level.

2. In our country some states there is very heavy concentration of unions but in someothers there are only a few unions.

3. International organisation world federation of trade union established in 1946. WFTUheadquarter in Paris. Two of our central organizations (HMS) Hindu Mazdoor

Sabha, (INTUC) India, National Trade Union Congress.

Other National Trade Unions organizations

- BMS Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh- UTUC United Trade Union Congress- NLO National Labour Organisation- NIFTU National Front of Indian Trade Unions

Future role

Future unions should be encourage to make a thrust towards the psychological & socialwell being of the workers some important areas Communication, counseling,educations, training, welfare, family & vocational guidance, research.



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Some obstacles in the future growth of trade unions

Our trade union are not so developed as in the western countries due to followingreasons.:-

- Outside leadership

- Low membership

- Uneven growth of trade unions

- Absence

- Weak financial position

- Lack of interest

- Lack of public support

- Limited stress on welfare

- Lack of knowledge among workers of industrial practices in comparable

organizations complexities

- Multiplicity of trade union.

How to remove obstacles in future growth of trade unions?

- Development

- Co-ordination

- Improve economic & social benefits

- Improvement in financial growth

- Cultural activities

- Discipline

- Motivation

- Education and communication, counseling

Conclusion: Perfect recognition of unions will make them more effective

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Write a short note on:a) Types and structure of trade unionb) Function of trade union

Ans: a) Trade union has been one of the first fruits of industrial revolution

Trade union can be classified under two heads.

A) Union classification according to the purposeUnder this head normally tow types of union fallingI) Reformist II) Revolutionary III) Other types of Trade UnionI) Reformist Unions:- Such unions work & propose changes within the existing social &political framework of society reformist divide in two parts.

i) Business unionism: are those union that are maintained primarily to represent theworkers in collective bargaining with the employers.

ii) Friendly or Uplift unionism: Idealistic in nature & aspires to elevate the moral,intellectual and social life of the workers. They emphasis such other consideration aseducation, health, insurance etc.

II) Revolutionary Unions:Such unions believe in the destruction of existing special and economic ordersdevelopment of new one. For attaining this objective they may purpose a major shift inpower and authority and serve use of force for this purpose.Revolutionary Unions divides in two parts.i) Anarchist Unions: The unions which try to destroy the existing economicsystem by revolutionary mean called anarchist unions. Such unions exists no use in

presently scenario.ii) Political Unions: This union which gain power through political unions. Themain function of such unions is to eliminate the power of capital, capitalists, wealth &giving effective power to workers.

III) Other types of trade unions:i) Craft unions:- It is an organisation of workers employed in a particular craft &trade or in a single craft or few occupations. Such organisation link together thoseworkers who have similar skills craft training etc.ii) Industrial unions:- Covers workers with a variety of skills employed in a singleindustry e.g. coal industry.

iii) Staff unions: The term staff union is popularly used to both craft & industrialunion. It is organized the workers on the basis of craft working in the same industry.iv) General Unions:- It is a organization which covers various industries & labourershaving different skills.



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Structure of Trade union:

Name of Trade union Set up Work

a) WFTU (world federationof trade union)

1946 Improvement international & National Leveleconomic, social, political etc.

b) AITUC (All India Trade

Union Congress)

1921 Improvement the economic, social conditions

c) HMS (Hindu MazdoorSabha)

1948 Peaceful and democratic

d) CITU (Centre of IndianTrade union)

1971 Legislation, political matters, agitation

e) NIFTU (National front ofIndian trade unions)

1973 Growing fast Independent unions

b) Function of Trade Union:-

1. General function of trade union:

Improvement in workers working conditions and protection. It consists of regularhour of work, shift working and paid holiday and limit of overtime workers othersimprovements in wages periodical test, leave.2. Social function: Under social function improve the quality of work life,education, communication, research, counseling.

3. Political function: Related to the function of a political labour party or thosereflecting an attempt to seek influence on public policy relating to matter connected withthe industry members, basically political function influence by government policydecisions in the interest of workers.4. Militant function:- Main aim of the union is to secure better conditions of work

and employment.

5.Federal function:- Federal function or a mutual benefit organisation supporting themember out of their own funds during the period of work stoppage due to strike orlockout. It also provides financial assistance to the member during the period when theyare only their work because of illness or employment injury or when they are temporaryemployed.

Federal function divides in two parts.a) Infra-mural activities: Such functions of unions leads the betterment ofemployment condition of employees such as adequate salary etc collective bargaining,

negotiation etc.b) Extra-mural activities:- Such functions help the employee to maintain andimprove their efficiency such as promote, friendly relation, education and culture amongmembers.


what is trade union

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