September 1977 witnessed an All India Convention of Central Organization of Trade Unions, including BMS, CITU, Trade Union Coordination Committee (TUCC), HMS and HMP, asking time-bound plans for reduction in wage disparities, price policy, national wage policy and also need based wages for industrial as well as agricultural working class. In 1982, the Trade union Amendment Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, which aimed at reducing multiplicity of trade unions by getting the then existing provision of enabling any seven workmen to form a trade union replaced with the provision of requiring a minimum of 10% of workmen, subject to a minimum of ten , engaged in the organization where the trade union is intended to operate or 100 workmen, whichever is less, for registration of a union. It was also proposed in the Bill that atleast 75% instead of the then existing 50% of the office bearers of the executive should be actually engaged/employed in the organization concentrated so as to encourage internal leadership. In 1999, there emerged a consensus of opinion among the major trade union federations like AITUC, INTUC, BMS, CITUC etc. on the protection to domestic industry, strengthening the public sector units by reviving and inducing professionals in the management, amendment of labour laws, and inclusion of rural and unorganized labour in the social safety net.
7. Present Scenario of the Trade Union Movement
The Indian Trade Unions have come to stay now not as ad hoc bodies or strike committees but as permanent features of the industrial society. The political, economic, historical and international factors have all helped the unions to get a legal status and they now represent the workers. They have succeeded in organizing Central Union Federations which help in the determination of principles, philosophy, ideology and purposes of the unions and give some sense of direction to the otherwise scatters and isolated large number of unions. The unions have achieved a remarkable status where their voices are heard by the government and the employers, they are consulted on matters pertaining to improvement in conditions of work, health and safety, job security, wages, productivity, all matters concerning the interests of labour. The unions have created for them a platform to air their views, policies and ideologies both at state level and national level in the Standing Labour Committee and Indian Labour Conference.
