Working Class Movement

Introduction

The contemporary working class in India emerged during the nineteenth century, when capitalism was established under British control. This happened because of the growth of modern factories, railways, dockyards, and construction projects. The first industries to develop were plantations and railways, marking the beginning of colonial capitalism in India.

Industrialisation in India

During British rule, major port cities like Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata), and Madras (Chennai) became centers of industrial activity.

• Bombay developed cotton mills.
• Calcutta became famous for jute mills.
• Madras had multiple factories.

Other cities like Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Solapur, and Nagpur also saw industrial growth. A Scottish merchant established India’s first jute mill in Calcutta in 1854. For a long period, foreigners dominated jute mills, while Indian businesspeople held the majority of cotton mills.

Workers’ Movement in Pre-Independence India

Early Efforts to Improve Working Conditions:

some laws were made to improve the lives of workers between 1870 and 1880. However, real efforts to help workers began during the Swadeshi Movement (1903-08) and later during the Home Rule Movement (1915-1922).

Workers’ Movements Before Trade Unions

• Plantation and mine workers faced exploitation but resisted harsh treatment. Industrial workers in cotton and jute industries received support from early social reformers, with their struggles reported in newspapers, raising awareness and promoting their rights.

Formation of Worker Organisations

• In 1870, Sasipada Banerjee started the Working Men’s Club in Bengal and published the Bengali journal Bharat Shramjibi in 1874.
• In 1878, the Brahmo Samaj started the Working Men’s Mission to educate workers.
• In 1890, N.M. Lokhandey established the Bombay Millhands’ Association and later published the Marathi journal Dinbandhu in 1898.
• In 1908, Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Bombay Millhands Defence Association. However, these groups mainly focused on worker welfare rather than organizing strong unions.

Emergence and Growth of Trade Unions

Trade unions in India began forming after World War I due to:

• Rising prices of essential goods.
• Decrease in real wages.
• Growth of Indian industries.
• Influence of Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement.
• Inspiration from the Russian Revolution.

Formation of Trade Unions

• Madras Labour Union (1918): Considered the first trade union in India, started by B.P. Wadia.
• Textile Labour Association (1920): Also known as Majur Mahajan Sangh, formed in Ahmedabad after a strike demanding fair wages. This union followed Gandhian principles.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)

The biggest development in the workers’ movement was the formation of AITUC under leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat Rai.

Why AITUC Was Formed

• To unite different trade unions across India.
• The creation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1919 encouraged its formation.
• Lala Lajpat Rai became its first president.
• AITUC was influenced by the British Labour Party’s social democratic ideas and Gandhian principles of non-violence and cooperation.

The Trade Union Act, 1926

• Recognized trade unions as legal organizations.
• Set rules for their registration and functioning.
• Gave legal protection to trade unions but also restricted their political activities.

Role of Communists in Labour Movements

• The Communist Party of India (CPI), formed in 1920, became active in labor struggles.
• Communists organized strikes in Bombay’s cotton mills and Calcutta’s jute mills.
• By 1928-29, they gained influence in AITUC, leading to divisions in the trade union movement.

Splits in AITUC

• 1929: Moderate members left AITUC to form the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU).
• 1931: The Communists split again and formed the Red Trade Union Congress (RTUC).
• 1933-1935: Some trade unions reunited under the name AITUC.

Workers’ Movement in Post-Independence India

New Trade Unions

• After independence, new unions like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) were formed.
• CITU was created by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after splitting from AITUC.

New Labour Laws

• Industrial Dispute Act (1947).
• Labour Relations Bill (1949).
• Trade Unions Bill (1949).

Economic Changes and Their Effects

• 1947-1960: Working conditions improved, leading to fewer strikes.
• Late 1960s: Wages declined, causing more industrial disputes.
• 1991 Economic Reforms (Liberalisation, Privatisation, and Globalisation – LPG):
  • Weakened workers’ bargaining power.
  • No minimum wage protections.
  • Allowed employers to easily hire and fire workers.

Weaknesses of the Workers’ Movement

1. Limited Coverage: Many unorganized workers were left out.
2. Too Many Unions: Too many separate unions weakened workers’ unity.
3. Lack of Response: Trade unions failed to address all workers’ problems.
4. Disunity Among Workers: Industrial workers did not unite with farmers and other groups.
5. Neglect of Marginalized Workers: Women and socially oppressed workers were often ignored.

This simplified version makes it easier for students to understand the rise of the working class in India and its struggles. Let me know if you need further changes.