The growth and development of labour movement and that of trade unions in
India can be studied under the following stages:
(1) Period upto First World War (from 1875 to 1918):
Due to the development of large scale industries, many social evils like
employment and exploitation of woman and child labour erupted in India who
work in the deplorable conditions, more likely worse than the conditions of labour
in England. Workers were not organised at that time and were very often at the
mercy of the employers.
The first concerted action was taken in 1875 under the leadership of Sorabji
Shaparji who along with some social workers started the agitation to draw the
attention of the Government to the deplorable conditions of woman and child
labour in Indian industries. Strikes were not absent even in the 19th century. In
1877, workers of The Empress Mills at Nagpur observed a strike over wage rates.
One of the important incidents in the eighties was the holding of the labour
conference in 1884 in Bombay under the leadership of N.M. Lokhande who was a
factory worker. A Memorandum was submitted to the Second Factory Commission
to highlight the poor conditions of the workers, but no improvement was noticed.
As a result, a mass meeting was organised in Bombay on April 21, 1890 which was
attended by about 10,000 workers.
The meeting passed a resolution demanding:
(i) One weekly off day,
(ii) Half an hour’s rest at noon,
(iii) Reduction in working hours,
(iv) Payment of wages not later than the 15th day of the month, and
(v) Compensation to injuries sustained by a worker on duty.
The mill owners agreed to grant a weekly holiday to textile workers. Encouraged
by this success, the Bombay Millhand Association was formed in 1890 by Shri N.
M. Lokhande. This was the first trade union in India. Mr. Lokhande also started the
workers’ first newspaper, known as DINABANDHU; the purpose was to place the
legitimate grievances of the workers before the authorities and also to educate the
workers.
This was the memorable achievement in the trade union movement in India prior to
20th century which made an impact throughout the country. The period 1882 to
1890, had witnessed 24 strikes in the two provinces of Bombay and Madras.
In subsequent years, a number of unions were formed such as:
(a) The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of India and Burma (for
European and Anglo-Indian railway employees);
(b) The Printers’ Union of Calcutta, 1905;
(c) The Bombay Postal Union at Calcutta and Madras, 1907;
(d) The Kamgar Hitwardhak Sabha, 1909; and
(e) The Social Service League, 1910.
However, these were sporadic organisations and could not make the real start in
the labour movement. The leaders of such organisations were primarily social
reformers and law abiding persons and belonged to moderate school of politics.
The objectives of these associations were to promote welfare activities.
Actually, these associations were not trade unions. They focused attention of the
public to the necessity of improving the working conditions in the factories and
laid foundations for the establishment of trade unions, which came into existence
after the First World War.
(2) Between the Two Great Wars (1918-1938):
After the First World War trade union movement got intensified and the leadership
of trade unions passed from the hands of social workers into the hands of
politicians. That was the year of labour unrest all over the country.
The factors responsible for this situation were:
(i) The industrial unrest grew up as a result grave economic difficulties created by
the war. The rising cost of living prompted the workers to take collective action for
the increase in their wages.
(ii) The Swaraj Movement also intensified the movement, widened the gulf
between employers and employees and brought about mass awakening among the
workers demanding racial equality with their British employers.
(iii) The success of Russian Revolution 1917 also created a revolutionary wave of
ideas, class consciousness and self-respect among workers.
(iv) The establishment of the International Labour Organisation in 1919 gave
dignity to the workers all over the world and inspired the Labour movement.
(v) The non-cooperation movement of Mahatma Gandhi during 1920-21 and his
support to the demands of working class also greatly influenced the labour
movement.
At about 1920, a number of trade unions were formed. The Madras Textile Labour
union was formed in 1918 by B.P. Wadia which led the formation of another 14
unions during 1918-19. The active association of Mahatma Gandhi with the
Ahmedabad Textile Labour Association gave a new turn to the labour movement
by applying the principle of non-violence.
The Government nominated some delegates to the first conference of the
International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Washington in 1919 without taking
into account the then existing trade unions. As a result, all the 64 trade unions with
a membership of 1,40,854 met in Bombay and established the All India Trade
Union Congress (AITUC) on 30th October, 1920 as a central organisation of trade
unions.
The move was supported by a number of leaders of All India Congress including
Sri Jawaharlal Nehru, Motilal Nehru, Guljari Lai Nanda, Sardar Vallabh Bhai
Patel, C.R. Das etc. The main aim of this association was to facilitate the selection
of delegates to ILO and also coordinating the functions of individual trade unions.
The ILO in 1921 adopted a resolution which emphasised that the labour should be
given full freedom to form a union. Thus trade union movement gets great
momentum during 1920’s. The number of unions had grown to 167 claiming a
membership of 2.23 lakh workers in 1924.
In 1926, the Trade Union Act was passed and a period of regulated trade unionism
started. It was a central law which provided a legal status to the registered trade
unions and conferred on them and their members a measure of immunity from civil
suits and criminal prosecutions.
This improved the image of trade unions in the public. The Act was proved a boon
to the trade unionism in India. The existing trade unions were registered under the
Act and tried to get them recognised. Apart from it, several new unions came into
being.
By 1929, AITUC was the only central trade union. In 1930, there was a split in the
AITUC on account of ideological differences which prompted the creation of a
new organisation in the name of All India Trade Union Federation (A.I.T.U.F.)
under the leadership of Shri N.M. Joshi. The AITUF was renamed as Nation Trade
Union Federation (NTUF) in 1933.
With the formation of AITUF, the strength of the AITUC was reduced to 21 unions
with a membership of 94,000 only. In 1931, there was another rift in the AITUC at
the Calcutta session due to the fundamental differences between the communist
and the left wing unionists. The communists led by B.T. Ranadive and S.V.
Deshpande formed a new organisation named. Red Trade Union Congress
(RTUC).
Thus, at this time there were three central labour organisations i.e. AITUC, AITUF
and RTUC and there were some other independent organisations like the All India
Railwaymen’s Federation (AIRF) and the Textile Labour Association (TLA) of
Ahmedabad.
After the first split of AITUC, efforts were made towards trade union unity through
the Roy group. The lead was taken by the All India Railwaymen’s Federation
(AIRF) which was a neutral body. It formed a Trade Union Unity Committee in
1932 at its Bombay conference. By the efforts of AIRF, certain broad conclusions
were drawn which were agreeable to both the wings of the labour i.e., AITUF and
the AITUC.
The final decision was taken in 1933, when a new body in the name of the National
Federation of Labour (NFL) was formed. The AITUF and the railway unions
amalgamated with the NFL under the new name National Trade Union Federation
(NTUF). The AITUC and the RTUC, however, were unconcerned with this
development.
The division in the labour movement proved very costly. In 1933, more than
50.000 workers in Bombay city were thrown out of employment and the wage
rates were cut drastically under these circumstances, the period was very critical
and needed unity efforts. In 1935, the RTUC was merged into the AITUC which
was recognised by then as the central organisation.
In 1937, there were general elections and the Indian National Congress pledged in
its manifesto that if it was voted to power, it would improve the lot of workers by
improving their living standard, working conditions, and by providing security
against old age, sickness and unemployment.
As a result of this alluring manifesto, the Congress came to power in Seven States.
There was a big upsurge of industrial unrest culminating in big strikes. In 1937,
there were 379 strikes involving about 6.47 lakh workers and resulting in a loss of
about 89.82 lakh man days.
In 1938, there was another unity move through the efforts of V.V. Giri, the AITUC
in its Nagpur session finally accepted the terms for merger as laid down by the
NTUF.
(3) During and After the Second World War (1939-1947):
The Second World war which broke out in September 1939, created new status in
the united trade union movement. The leaders of the various factions in the AITUC
again divided on the question of whether the AITUC should support the
Government on war. Again a rift took place in 1941 and the Radicals left the
AITUC and formed a new central labour federation known as the Indian
Federation of Labour (IFL).
The shifts in the national political situation, continued to affect the Indian labour
movement. The political situation compelled the communists of India to support
the Government on war issue and leadership of AITUC which was in the hands of
Indian National Congress, fell into the hands of communists.
During war-time, the trade unions consolidated their position due to certain
factors namely:
(i) The Government and a number of employers launched a number of welfare
measures in a bid to increase production of war materials and other essential goods
and to maintain high profits;
(ii) Recognition was awarded by many employers to gain the support of workers in
production. It gave strength to unions;
(iii) The Defence of India Rule 81-A was promulgated prohibiting the strikes and
lockouts and providing that all disputes would be referred to adjudication and their
rewards would be enforced;
(iv) A tripartite Labour Conference was convened in 1942, for the first time, to
provide a common platform for discussion and mutual understanding between
employers and employees.
During war time, the trade union strength grew 865 upto 1944-45 with a
membership of 8.89 lakh workers.
In 1947, the Indian national Trade Union Congress (INTUC) was formed as a
labour wing of The Indian National Congress.
(4) Post Independence Period (1947 to date):
Independence and the partition of the country shattered the hope of the workers for
securing high wages and better working conditions from the national Government.
In order to retain the amenities already earned by the workers, a series of strikes
swept the country in 1947 in which 165.63 lakh man-days were lost and 18.41 lakh
workers were involved.
In post-independence period, various political parties formed and kept control over
various trade unions. In 1948, when socialist group broke away from the congress
in 1948 and formed a new political party i.e., Praja Socialist party.
The trade union leaders working in the INTUC and were supporters of the newly
formed political party, seceded from it and formed a new central trade union
organisation called the Hindustan Mazdoor Panchayat (HMP). The HMP and the
Indian Federation of Labour merged together in the name of Hind Mazdoor Sabha
(HMS) in 1948.
In 1949, the radicals and leftist groups, which did not agree with the principles of
both AITUC and HMS left the AITUC and formed another organization in the
name of United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) on 30th April 1949.
On a close observation, one can realise that the trade union movement in India has
become politically motivated. Hence any split in a political party leads to the same
type of split in the trade union dominated by that party.
Thus, by 1949, there were four central organisations led by different political
parties i.e., the INTUC led by Congress, the AITUC dominated by the communists,
the HMS, affiliated to the Socialist party and the UTUC, led by the Revolutionary
Socialist party. It was an indication that the political involvement in trade union
movement still continued. After 1952, a number of efforts were made for bringing
about some unity in the movement but all failed.
In 1959, a few unions led by the members of the Socialist party seceded from the
HMS and formed Hind Mazdoor Panchayat, an organisation of Samyukta Socialist
Party. In 1962, a new organisation called Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(CFTU) was formed with the support of Swatantra Party.
There was again a rift in the AITUC in 1970 when the Communists divided into
CPI and CPM. The CPI held the AITUC and the CPM formed a new central
organisation: the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU).
In 1972, the Indian National Congress split in two groups, resulting in the division
of INTUC in two groups. The ruling Congress retained its control over the INTUC
and the organisation Congress formed a new union: National Labour Organisation
(NLO). Unions in Gujarat and Kerala are affiliated to this union (NLO).
Another interesting development took place in May 1972, when a limited accord
was reached between the AITUC, the INTUC and the HMS regarding the
procedure to be followed for the recognition of trade unions. As a result, a National
Council of Central Trade Unions (NCCTU) was formed with representative of the
AITUC, INTUC and HMS. The basic idea behind it was to isolate the CITU. The
CITU, soon set up a United Council of Trade Unions (UCTU) in September; 1972
as a rival body of NCCTU.
After the declaration of Emergency again, the INTUC, the AITUC and the HMS
combined and joined with the Employers’ representatives on what was called the
National Apex Body. This body ceased to exist as soon as the state of Emergency
was lifted.
