Introduction:

“A trade union is a continuous association of wage earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the condition of the working life.” The trade union movement refers to the collective efforts of workers to organize and form unions to advocate for their rights, improve working conditions, and increase bargaining power with employers. Rooted in the industrial revolution, when workers faced long hours works, poor conditions, and low wages, the trade union movement seeks to protect and promote the economic and social interests of the working class. The weaknesses of trade union movement are:

Weakness of the trade union:

• Uneven growth of the movement: While it is strong in organized industry it is very weak in small and unorganized industries and  has not so far even touch agriculture and other rural workers
• Poor membership: Membership of trade union is quite low and very irregular
• Weak in funds: This is partly due to small membership and partly because of the low wages of the workers.
• Not much work except to organize the strike: The trade unions often looked upon as strikes committees; they have ignored welfare work for the workers.
• Neglect of workers education: Union are preoccupied with improving the earnings of workers they neglect the aspect of health, housing, education and general well being of the workers.
• Absence of worker leaders: It is said that the Indian union were born in politics and that they will have to it appear, live in politics. Most of the leadership is provided by outsiders.
• Failure of leadership: That Trade union movement has not succeed as much as it should have because of the failure of the trade union leadership
• Absence of unity: There is no unity in the trade union movement to the extent of siding with the employers. The conflict between all the India unions is a major source of weakness of the trade union movement in the country.
• Small size of trade union: During recent years trade unions of smaller size have been increasing fast, these smaller unions are not in a position to carry on collective bargaining negotiation effectively.
• Different political affiliations: Another drawback of the union movement is the predominantly politics character of some unions.

Suggestion for strengthening of trade union:

• Education of the worker: The working classes must be educated trade union moments from within workers should be properly trained in the trade union duties.
• Working class leadership: Effort should be made to develop leadership of the movement from within the ranks of the industrial workers themselves
• Democratic spirit: It must be fostered in running the trade union movement
• Sober and constructive leadership: Trade union leadership also adopt a more sober and constructive attitude rather than the present extremist and destructive one.
• One industry one union: The principle of one union in one industry should be adopted and thus existing multiplicity of trade union should be done away with.
• Emphasis on beneficent activities created emphasize should be on beneficent activities then is being done at present.
• Removal of inter union rivalries: A common code of conduct should be evolved in order to resolve inter union disputes there should be no dual membership of the union there should be no violence.
• Responsible working class: The worker must be as much as conscious of the duties and responsibilities as of their rights.

also read: explain the causes and measures of industrial disputes.