BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT REPORT ON

TRADE UNION
BY GROUP 3 GROUP MEMBERS: Anok (14) Pranjali (19) Abdul (24) Sujit (27) Swanand (28) Sairaj (31)

The Role of Trade Union

Trade unions are unique organizations whose role is variously interpreted and understood by different interest groups in the society. Traditionally trade unions role has been to protect jobs and real earnings, secure better conditions of work and life and fight against exploitation and arbitrariness to ensure fairness and equity in employment contexts. In the wake of a long history of union movement and accumulated benefits under collective agreements, a plethora of legislations and industrial jurisprudence, growing literacy and awareness among the employees and the spread of a variety of social institutions including consumer and public interest groups the protective role must have undergone, a qualitative change. It can be said that the protective role of trade unions remains in form, but varies in substance. There is a considerable debate on the purposes and role of trade unions. The predominant view, however, is that the concerns of trade unions extend beyond 'bread and butter' issues. Trade unions through industrial action (such as protests and strikes) and political action (influencing Government policy) establish minimum economic and legal conditions and restrain abuse of labor wherever the labor is organized. Trade unions are also seen as moral institutions, which will uplift the weak and downtrodden and render them the place, the dignity and justice they deserve.

Trade Unions in India

The trade union movement in India is over a century old. It is useful to take stock To see whether the trade unions in India are at the centre stage or in frame. In Order to do that, one may peruse the following relevant, though selective, Statistics. The Indian workforce 31.479 Crore (314.79 million) constitutes 37.3 percent of the total population. Of the total workforce, 91.5 percent is accounted for by the informal sector, while the formal sector accounts for 8.5 percent. Further, only about 3 Crore (30 million) (i.e. 9.5 percent of the workforce) are employed on permanent basis, implying 90.5 percent being employed on casual basis. It has also been reported that by December 1991, the claimed membership of the Indian trade union movement was 3.05 Crore (30.5 million) (i.e. 9.68 percent of the workforce) with 82.24 percent of the trade union membership being accounted for by the organized sector. Thus the unorganized sector is meagerly represented.

The World Labor Report summarizes the trade union situation in India "Indian unions are too very fragmented. In many work places several trade unions compete for the loyalty of the same

body of workers and their rivalry is usually bitter and sometimes violent. It is difficult to say how many trade unions operate at the national level since many are not affiliated to any all- India federation. Early splits in Indian trade unionism tended to be on ideological grounds each Linked to a particular political party. Much of the recent fragmentation, however, has centered on personalities and occasionally on caste or regional Considerations.

Meaning of trade union

Section 2(h) of the trade unions act, 1926 has defined a trade union as Any combination, whether temporary or permanent, formed primarily for the purpose of regulating the relations between workmen and employees, or between workmen and workmen or between employers and employers or for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business and includes federation of two or more trade unions.

Features of trade unions

It is an organization formed by employees or workers. It is formed on a continuous basis. It is permanent body and not a casual or temporary one . It is formed to protect and promote all kinds of interest- economic political and social of its members. The dominant interest with which a union is concerned is, however economic. It includes federation of trade unions also. It achieves its objective through collective action and group effort.

Objectives of trade union

To improve the economic lot of employees by securing for them better wages. To secure better working conditions for the workers. To secure bonus for the employees from the profit of the concern. To resist schemes of the management which reduce employment To secure welfare of employees by taking active participation in the management. To secure social welfare of the employees. To secure organizational stability, growth and leadership.

Criticism of trade union

Lack of education makes the workers narrow minded and prevents them from taking long term views. Thus, anything, which does not result in immediate reward, becomes unattractive to them. This attitude is responsible for many strikes and lock outs in industrial concerns. Trade union may not welfare rationalization and improved methods of production for the fear that some of the workers will be put out of work. Therefore, they resort to go slow policy that retards industrial progress. When labor unions strike because of illogical grounds, incalculable losses occur to producers, community and nations. These are harmful to the workers also. They suffer because of the loss of wages. They create artificial scarcity labor by demanding that only union personnel should be employed. By undue insistence on the payment of standard rates of wages, they have only leveled down the earnings of the efficient workers.

Structure of trade union

Plant level Unions: The first level in the structure from below is the plant level union. This comprises the unions in one organisation or factory. Please note that only seven members are required to form a union. This has lead to multiple unions in one factory. (We will discuss the details of this aspect in the problems faced by unions in India). Local Level federations. This is the second level in the structure from below. The local trade union federation holds together the plant level unions at the local level in a particular craft and industry. These local level federations might be affiliated to either some regional level or national level federation or these may be independent. Regional level federations. These are the organizations of all the constituent unions in a particular state or region. National federations. These are national level bodies to which plant level unions, local unions or regional level unions may get affiliated. These are the apex bodies at the top of the structure. They act as coordinating bodies. These national federations may have their own regional or state level coordinating bodies to which the plant level unions may get affiliated.

Problems and weaknesses of trade union

Uneven Growth. The trade unionism in India is characterised by uneven growth, both industrywise and area-wise. Trade unions are popular in big industries and the degree of unionisation varies widely from industry to industry. Besides, trade union activities are concentrated in a few states and in bigger industrial centers mainly due to concentration of industries in those places. Limited Membership. The number of trade unions in India has increased considerably. But this has been followed by the declining membership per union. Multiplicity of Unions. There exist several trade unions in the same establishment. The multiplicity of unions is the result of outside leadership and labour laws. The law permits and

gives sanctity to small unions. Any seven persons can form a union under the Trade Unions Act, 1926. This Act confers rights on such a union. It is allowed under the Act to raise disputes, file suits, go to conciliation and even bargain with employers. Therefore, small sections of workers are encouraged to form separate Unions. There is no restriction on the number of unions to be registered in one establishment. Outside Leadership. Trade unions in India are led largely by people who themselves are not workers. These outsiders are politicians, intellectuals and professionals having no experience of work in industry. Outsiders continue to dominate the trade unions to advance their personal interests. Indifferent Attitude of Workers. In India, a large number of workers have not joined any union. Moreover, all the members of the trade unions do not show interest in their affairs. The attendance at the general meetings of the unions is very low. Under such circumstance, trade unionism cannot be expected to make much progress. Illiteracy illiteracy and education of the workers hinder the the growth of the trade union movement because workers are often unable to appreciate and contribute to, the positive role of the trade unionism.

Regulations of trade union the trade unions act

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.

Rights and responsibilities of trade union

The general funds of a registered union shall not be spent on any other objects than those specified in the act. a registered union may be contribute separately levied for or to made to that fund, from which payments may be made for the promotion of the civil and political interest of its members. No office bearer or member of a registered trade union shall be liable to punishment under sub section (2) of section 120 B of the Indian penal code in respect of any agreement made between the members for the purpose of furthering any such object of the trade union as specified in section 15nunless the agreement is an agreement to commit an offence No suit or other legal proceedings shall be maintained in any civil court against any registered trade union or any other office- bearer or member there of respect of any act done in contemplation or furtherance of trade dispute to which a member

The account books of a registered trade union and the list of members thereof shall be open to inspection by an office bearer or member of the trade union at such times as may be provided for in rules of the trade union.

Employer issues and trade union action ISSUES

Sexual harassment Repetitive strain injury Hearing loss Bullying Discrimination Working hours, condition and pay

ACTIONS
Overtime ban work to rule strike boycott