Trade union is a direct product of Industrialization and a very recent development. In India, the foundation of modern industry was laid between 1850 and 1870. Prior to that trade was confined to individuals and families like craftsmen and artisans. They had expertise and specialized skills which was inherited by their off springs. After Industrial revolution, these people started losing their individual identities and had to join factories to earn their livelihood and compete with mass production. There was a psychological dislocation as they were losing their identities.

Indian trade union movement can be divided into three phases.

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. Capitalists were only interested in their productivity and profitability. In addition to long working hours, their wages were low and general economic conditions were poor in industries. In order to regulate the working hours and other service conditions of the Indian textile labourers, the Indian Factories Act was enacted in 1881. As a result, employment of child labour was prohibited. Mr. N M Lokhande organized people like Rickshawalas etc., prepared a study report on their working conditions and submitted it to the Factory Labour Commission. The Indian Factory Act of 1881 was amended in 1891 due to his efforts. Guided by educated philanthropists and social workers like Mr. 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 MillHands Association came up.

The second phase of The Indian trade union movement falls between 1900 and 1947. this phase was characterized by the development of organized trade unions and political movements of the working class. It also witnessed the emergence of militant trade unionism. The First World War (1914-1918) and the Russian revolution of 1917 gave a new turn to the Indian trade union movement and organized efforts on part of the workers to form trade unions. In 1918, B P Wadia organized trade union movements with Textile mills in Madras. He served strike notice to them and workers appealed to Madras High Court because under ‘Common Law’, strike is a breach of law. In 1919, Mahatma Gandhi suggested to let individual struggle be a Mass movement. In 1920, the First National Trade union organization (The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)) was established. Many of the leaders of this organization were leaders of the national Movement. In 1926, Trade union law came up with the efforts of Mr. N N Joshi that became operative from 1927.

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.

LABOUR LAWS 

Law-”Law is a rule or a system of rules recognized by a country or a community as regulating the actions of its members and enforced by the imposition of penalties.”

Factors responsible for development of Labor laws

• Exploitation of the workmen by the capitalists 
• Social pressure and pressure from trade unions 
• Government policies based on Government philosophy which in turn was based on the political ideologies 
• Constitution of India (Directive Principles of state policy) 
• Supreme Court’s recommendations on the cases that came up in the courts 
• Recommendations of various commissions and committees set up by government from time to time 
• Conventions and recommendations of International labor organization (ILO)
• Awareness about environment 

Common Features of All Laws

•  Short title and commencement 
• Preamble i.e. purpose of the law 
• Definitions 148 
• Substantive provisions 
• Penalty provisions 
• Records/ Registers/ Returns 
• Inspectorate/ Enforcement authority
• Categories of Labor Laws Regulatory legislations to oversee the conditions of work at workplace Eg. Machinery arrangement, spittoons, working hours, leave with wages etc. 
• Legislations related to wages Eg. Payment of Wages Act, 1936, Minimum Wages Act, 1948 
• Legislations related to social security Eg. ESI Act, 1948, Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952 
• Legislations related to Industrial Relations (IR) Eg. Industrial disputes Act, 1947, Industrial Employments (Standing Orders) Act, 1946, Trade Union Act, 1926 
• Legislations related to service conditions Eg. Regulations of environment Act (for Dock workers), Conditions of Service Act (for Sales Promotion employees)
• Miscellaneous:

Eg. Apprentices Act, 1961, Environment protection Act, 1986

The trade unionism in India developed quite slowly as compared to the western nations. Indian trade union movement can be divided into three phases.

The Indian workforce consists of 430 million workers, growing 2% annually.

The Indian labor markets consist of three sectors:

1. The rural workers, who constitute about 60 per cent of the workforce.

2. Organized sector, which employs 8 per cent of workforce, and

3. The urban informal sector (which includes the growing software industry and other services, not included in the formal sector) which constitutes the rest 32 per cent of the workforce.

At present there are twelve Central Trade Union Organizations in India:

1. All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

2. Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS)

3. Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)

4. Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat (HMKP)

5. Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS)

6. Indian Federation of Free Trade Unions (IFFTU)

7. Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC)

8. National Front of Indian Trade Unions (NFITU)

9. National Labor Organization (NLO)

10.Trade Unions Co-ordination Centre (TUCC)

11.United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) and United Trade Union Congress - Lenin Sarani (UTUC - LS)