Inter-Union Rivalry in India an Analysis

Joshi, N.M. , The Trade Union Movement in India (Bombay, 1927), p. 10.

Shiva Rao, B. , The Industrial Worker in India ( London, 1939), p. 150.

This leadership conflict was clearly evident even in Jharia Session of the A.I.T.U.C. held in 1928 where a tussle was going on between the reformists and the radicals. "The radical group, though more powerful in rank and file, had little opportunity of influencing the policy at the top.... There was dissatisfaction and friction and a desire on the part of radical elements to seize power in the T.U.C. At the same time, there was disinclination to carry matters too far, for a split was feared ..." Nehru, J. L., An Autobiography (London, 1949), p. 187.

Trade Union Record, March 1, 1930, p. 7.

The Gimi Kamgar Union at that time was a very powerful labour organization of Bombay.

The Royists, who were the followers of M. N. Roy, had entered the labour movement mainly in Bombay. Roy himself had left the Communist Party of India in 1928. See: Karnik, V.B. , Indian Trade Unions: A Survey ( Bombay, 1960), pp. 58-60.

A readable account is available in Punekar, S.D. , Trade Unionism in India (Bombay, 1948), pp. 324-335.

According to the founders of the I.N.T.U.C., it was impossible to change the policy of the A.I.T.U.C. in view of the grossly inflated membership and, therefore, the increased voting strength of the Communist-dominated unions within the A.I.T.U.C. The tendency of A.I.T.U.C. to precipitate strikes and its opposition to the Bombay Industrial Relations Act and the Industrial Disputes Act were described as the other reasons for the formation of the I.N.T.U.C. See: The Proceedings of the I.N.T.U.C. Inaugural Session , May 3 and 4, 1947, pp. 12-16.

Thengari, D.P. , Why Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh? ( Poona, 1959), p. 1.

See: General Secretary's Report, Third National Convention, February 1 and 2 (Bombay, 1964).

The I.N.T.U.C. , Some Facts About I.N.T.U.C (New Delhi, 1959 ), pp. 6-7.

For an excellent account of this role of the I.N.T.U.C., see: Kannappan. Subbiab , "The Gandhian Model of Unionism in a Developing Economy: The T.L.A. in India," Industrial and Labour Relations Review, October, 1962.

Ramanujan, G. , "Trade Unions and Their Role in Building a Democratic Socialist Society," Indian Worker, No. 45-46, August, 1964, p. 20.

Ibid.

See the I.N.T.U.C. publication, Truth about Kerala on the Labour Front.

See I.N.T.U.C. , Labour Policy in Third Five Year Plan (New Delhi, 1960 ).

Presidential address by Ambekar, G. D., 1956 Annual Session of the I.N.T.U.C.

Ramanujan, G. , "Labour's Response to Economic Growth," Indian Worker, May, 1963, p. 16.

Some Facts about I.N.T.U.C, op. cit., p. 13.

Explaining this negative attitude of the I.N.T.U.C. towards the A.I.T.U.C., Ramanujan once remarked: "The anticipated position of the Communist Party liquidating their trade-unions under the common flag unity is bound to be viewed with suspicion, unless such a move synchronises with a similar move to dissolve the Indian Communist Party itself." Ramanujan, G. , "Recent Trends in Trade Union Movement in India," Indian Worker, May 4, 1956, p. 35. This attitude on the part of top I.N.T.U.C. leadership may be taken as one indicator of dominance of party over the desire of trade union unity.

See: "H.M.S.—Fifth Wheel in the Trade Union Movement ," Indian Worker, October 26, 1964, p. 2.

Ibid.

Economic Times, April 4, 1965, p. 1.

Constitution of the A.I.T.U.C., Article II.

Ibid., Article III. In the form of slogans, Dange put the A.I.T.U.C. strategy like this: "Organize and unite; demonstrate and protest; negotiate and settle; if that fails, strike peacefully and as a last resort." See: Dange, S.A. , General Report at Ernakulam, 1957, p. VIII.

Ibid., pp. 56-57.

The Constitution of H.M.S., Article I.

Ibid., Article II.

The H.M.S. , Report of the Seventh Annual Convention, Nagpur, December 24-28, 1958, p. 58.

The H.M.S. , Report of the Tenth Annual Convention, Coimbatore, May 5-8, 1962, p. 148. (This resolution marked a departure from the earlier policy of isolating the A.I.T.U.C. and collaborating with the I.N.T.U.C. followed by the H.M.S. leadership. Ashok Mehta, a H.M.S. leader and now Indian Planning Minister, said in 1952: "I would exclude from merger the Communist unions mostly found in the A.I.T.U.C. The merger of the I.N.T.U.C., H.M.S., U.T.U.C. and independent unions will make the A.I.T.U.C. a shell for the Communists to freeze in".) Quoted by Dange, S.A. , Ernakulam Report, op. cit., p. 151.

Ibid., p. 158.

The H.M.S. , Report of the Sixth Annual Convention, 1957.

Report of the Seventh Annual Convention, op. cit., p. 58.

Report of the Seventh Annual Convention, op. cit., p. 59.

See Das , S.R. Mohan , "Trade Union Unity," Economic Times, December 14, 1964, p. 7.

Report of the Seventh Annual Convention, op. cit., p. 58.

Ibid., p. 59.

Report of the Eleventh Annual Convention, op. cit., p. 58..

Ibid., p. 23.

Constitution of the U.T.U.C, p. 2.

The U.T.U.C. , Report of the Annual Session (Quilon, Kerala, 1958), p. 21.

Bose, M.K. , Efforts for Trade Union Unity, an U.T.U.C. publication, no date, p. 1.

The U.T.U.C. , Report of the Annual Convention 1960, p. 6.

Myres, op. cit., p. 142.

Bose, M.K. , Parties and Paradoxes: Plan of a Labour Party, no date.

Bose, M.K. , Efforts for Trade Union Unity, an U.T.U.C. publication, p. 3.

Ibid., p. 4.

Dange, S.A. , Ernakulam Report, op. cit. , p. 59.

Joshi, N.M. , "Towards unity in Indian Trade Union Movement: A Proposal for a Joint Trade Union Committee," Trade Union Record, November, 1952, No. 7, p. 60.

Hindustan Times, July 14, 1959.

The H.M.S. , Report of the Seventh Annual Convention, op. cit., p. 68.

Trade Union Record, May 20, 1955, p. 41.

For details see: Dange, S.A. , Five Glorious Days ( New Delhi, 1960).

The I.N.T.U.C. , Central Govt. Employees Strike in Retrospect, 1960.

Trade Union Record, March 5, 1961.

Trade Union Record, August 5, 1964.

See Pandey, S.M. , "The Indian Labour Movement: Growth and Character," The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, April, 1966, Appendix "A", Table No. 2.

Pandey, op. cit., Appendix "A", Table No. 1.

Pandey, op. cit., Appendix "A", Table No. 4.

Report of the Eleventh Annual Convention, April 11-15, 1963, p. 98.

The Third Five Year Plan, pp. 251-252.