I rise to support the bill to amend the Indian trade unions act of 1926. The act of 1926 was an enabling act which only provided for the registration trade unions and for their immunity from civil liability. It is well known that before that act came into being, trade unions were held liable for the losses suffered by industry during a strike. We in this country have not forgotten the famous case which preceded the 1926 act. Since then the Indian trade unions act is one of the least amended acts. All that it provided was that you collect a small fee from seven workers, fill in some forms and get unions registered. The result has been that during the last few years there has been tremendous growth in the number of trade unions. In U.P. for example, today there are more than 1100 trade unions registered in the whole of the united kingdom which, as we all know, is a highly industrialised country. Sir, it is time that we took certain steps to strengthen trade unions, to see that we have industrial unions representing the entire force of workers employed in particular industries rather than have mushroom growth of unions which get registered this year and disapper next year. I, therefore, welcome this bill which lays down t hat every trade union will provide that the subscription by members of the union shall not be less than fifty rupees per month per member. This, as has been said, is a part of the code of conduct agreed to by all the trade unions. We have during the last few months heard a great deal of argument about the implementation of the tripartite agreement in respect of minimum wages. This provision of Rs 50 per month per member to be collected as membership subscription is also one of the conditions of the tripartite agreement and I am happy that the hon. Minister has brought this bill to honour the Tripartite agreement. Trade unions are supposed to provide certain services to their members. Trade unions are independent only when they do not depend on outside help. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary that trade unions should charge from a members a minimum of Rs. 50 per year as membership subscription. Unless that is done, trade unions cannot have resources to enable them to provide the minimum services to their members. We have seen that the infiltration of trade unions by political parties, infiltration of whole timers of political parties into trade unions, does not help them. Trade unions to be healthy should have their own whole-time functionaries.
