The first Indian Trade Unionism was formed in the year 1890 in the name and style of "Bombay Millhands Association", this association germs the Trade Union in India. The purpose of this association was for the redressal of grievances of the Bombay Mill Workers.
Before independence of India, the progress of the trade union movement has not been satisfactory. However, after the independence of India, the growth of Trade Union activity in every sphere of the industry has been tremendous.
Before Industrialization, there were personal contracts between the workers and employers. But gradually, the modern industries were grown with technology. That resulted in new class of worker who were completely depend on their wages for survival. The conflict between the workers and employers germs the growth of Trade Union in India.
The leaders of the Trade Union were prosecuted and imprisoned for bonafide trade union activities. In order to have a legislative protection of Trade Union, Mr. M.N. Joshi, the then General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress moved a resolution in the central legislative assembly seeking introduction of some measure by the Government for protection of Trade Unions. Then Indian Trade Union act 1926 was enacted and enforced from 1st June, 1927.
Trade union movement, as we see it today, is the result of Industrial Revolution which took place in Great Britain between 1750 and 1850.
The trade unionism in India was influenced by collective operation of various factors such as needs, wishes, aspirations and expectations of the workers.
During 1850 a large number industries were stared and subsequently a large number of workers were employed in factories without the requisite and congenial work environment.
The conditions of workers were Abysmally low wages; Long Working Hours; No job security; Absence of Social Security; Engagement of women and children in large number in the factories; Indifferent, inhuman and insensitive authorities; Unsympathetic public; Vast illiteracy; Backwardness and Traditionalism etc.
Textile mills in Bombay started functioning from 1851 onwards and Jute mills in Calcutta from 1854
In 1855, Sorabjee Shahpurjee Bengali, a social reformer, led a movement in Bombay for legislative measures against the miserable plight and predicament of the workers in factories which was said to have formed the nucleus of the labour movement in India. But the progress was very slow.
In 1872, Shri C.P.Majumdar, a Brahmo Preacher from Calcutta, established eight night schools in Bombay. In 1878, the Brahmo Samaj established the 'Working Men’s Mission' in Calcutta. It organised night classes to eradicate illiteracy from amongst the workers and to instil in them the habit of cleanliness and thrift. Almost the same time, Shri Sasipad Bannerjee, laid foundation of ‘Bara Bazar Organisation’ for the education and welfare of the workers in Jute Mills.
The social workers, philanthropists and the religious leaders were first to take interest in organising these factory workers
All these efforts to educate and to bring together the workers indirectly helped in inculcating the feeling and consciousness of ‘collective action’ and agitation, though in a rudimentary form. It is significant that some labour unrest manifested itself in one or the other form and even some workers’ unions appeared on the scene. There is for instance a record of a strike at Nagpur Empress Mill in 1877, which is supposed to be the workers’ first strike in India.
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