"TWENTY FOURTH DECEMBER 1948" is the red letter day in the history of the Indian Trade Union Movement (TUM). It was on this historic day that the veteran labour leaders - Ashok Mehta, R. S. Ruikar, Maniben Kara, Shibnath Banerjee, R. A. Khedgikar, T. S. Ramanujam, V. S. Mathur, G.G. Mehta and others laid the foundation of HIND MAZDOOR SABHA (HMS) in Calcutta under the blessings of the Father of Indian Trade Union Movement N. M. Joshi.

The experience had taught them bitter lessons, particularly during the 'Quit India' movement for Indian Independence - 1942 to 1945. When the Socialist and Congress trade unionists were imprisoned during the movement, the Communists captured the All India Trade Union Congress, the independent and the only Central Trade Union Organisation of all political and non political trade unionists and converted it into the communist party controlled institution and destroyed cleverly its democratic character. Even N. M. Joshi had no alternative but to leave the AITUC. India had broken the shackles of slavery and the workers were expected to play a positive role in building the nascent nation. At the same time, the TUM was expected to protect their interests. Unfortunately, in 1947 the Congressmen started a separate organization viz., The Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), and worse, allowed it to become virtually a part of the Congress Party.

In these circumstances, a new and appropriate direction to lead the working class became the dire necessity. It was then the vision of Ashok Mehta, a convinced socialist, that fructified into Hind Mazdoor Sabha. This is how the Hind Mazdoor Panchayat of the democratic socialists, the Indian Federation of Labour was organised by the Radical Democratic Party (Radical Humanist later on). A large group of Forward Block Party trade unionists in AITUC and a sizeable number of independent trade union leaders came together and founded Hind Mazdoor Sabha at Calcutta on 24th December 1948.

In the Indian conditions, where national Trade Union Centres are wings of one political party or the other, Hind Mazdoor Sabha became the only major trade union organisation which is truly independent of political parties, whether in power or in opposition. Thus Hind Mazdoor Sabha made a bold bid to strike a new path of organising unions as independent organisations without control of political parties. This policy of independence which was declared in the founding conference of HMS in December 1948, has remained unpolluted till now though this period has seen many upheavals in power politics and on the trade union scene in the country. HMS has high regards for the values of democracy. It is convinced that economic concessions secured at the cost of liberty or democracy always proves deceptive and even dangerous. On the other hand, democracy will not survive unless people can secure improvements in their conditions of life through persuasion, pressurisation or even struggles if necessary. Hence for HMS, there has never been any conflict between bread and freedom. The two, according to it, are inseparable. HMS has unshakable faith in democratic socialism as it only assures economic equality and elimination of exploitation. It is in favour of basic industries and services being brought under public control. It therefore supports the Public Sector and opposes moves to privatise units under that sector....top

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS POLICY HMS does not believe in resorting to cheap tactics of irresponsible exploitation of working class, discontent against employers or government. However rejection of adventurism does not mean complacency or meek acceptance of the status quo. That has become amply clear from many heroic struggles HMS and its affiliates have conducted against the anti-labour employers and the governments. Some of these struggles have secured substantial gains for workers, while some others have successfully resisted the onslaughts on the working class and its fundamental rights. In the field of industrial relations, HMS stands for Free Collective Bargaining as against Compulsory Adjudication or government interference. However, collective bargaining can be carried on effectively only if there are strong and genuine collective bargaining agents to represent the workers and they are encouraged to grow and be recognised by the employers and the government. While opposing the industrial relations policy of the government based on prohibition of strike and government interference at every stage, HMS has come out with a declaration of its clear-cut views on the subject alongwith a new model of industrial relations setup.....top

HOW HMS FUNCTIONS As per the constitution of HMS, it holds its national conference every two years. The conference is generally attended by over 2500 delegates representing the affiliates, and over 3000 observers. After the inaugural session, the delegates discuss the general secretary's report of activities and later on pass resolutions on a variety of subjects concerning the labour in the country. At the end, they elect office bearers and members of the working committee to manage the affairs of the organisation for the next two years. The same pattern is followed for HMS state councils which are 20 in number.

HMS has affiliation of over 2000 trade unions working in all industries/services in most of the states and union territories. The total membership of these affiliates is over 4.5 million. Its affiliates in the railways, port and docks, seafarers, road transport, and civil aviation industries are the majority unions and as such they are the spokesmen of the employees of their respective industries. In addition, it has very powerful and well-established unions in the textile, steel, coal, engineering, electricity and sugar industries. These unions have also been affiliated to 18 industrial federations which are working side by side and in close co-operation with HMS. These federations are represented on a number of industrial committees setup by the government and they also take part in the negotiations for wages and other service conditions with the management of the industries. .........................top

TRADE UNION EDUCATION AND RESEARCH HMS has always stressed that if trade unions are to be independent of party politics, they must be controlled and run by the workers themselves. With this objective in view, HMS and its affiliates have engaged themselves in constant training of their cadre. Some of the notable among them are:
1. Maniben Kara Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
2. Asian Workers Development Institute, Rourkela, Orissa.
3. Maniben Kara Foundations (Western Railways Union), Mumbai, Maharashtra.
4. HMS Long Term Education Programme, New Delhi.
5. HMS Research & Training Programme, New Delhi.
6. Jaya Prakash Gram Vikas Sanstha, Talegoan, Maharashtra.
7. D.D Vasisht Trade Union Educations Centre, New Delhi.
8. P D'Mello Trust Education Centre, Khandala, Maharashtra.
9. Mill Mazdoor Welfare Trust Education Centre, Khandala, Maharashtra.
10. Dharma Shakti Education Institute, Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
11. Institute for Plantation, Agricultural & Rural Workers, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal.
12. National Union of Sea Farers of India's Resort and Training Centre at Lonavala, Maharashtra.
13. J. P Institute of Trade Union Education & Research, Calcutta, West Bengal. 14. Workers Education Centre of State Transport Kamgar Sangathana, Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
15. Trade Union Education Centre, South Central Railway Mazdoor Union, Secundarabad, Andhra Pradesh.
16. Priya Gupta Memorial Committee, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
17. Priya Gupta Memorial Trust, Bongaigaon, West Bengal.
18. Acharya Narendra Dev Shramik Prashikshan Kendra, South Jharkhand, M.P.
19. Rambhau Ruikar Research Institute of Labour Studies, Nagpur.
20. Northern Railwaymen's Union Institute of Education, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

They have so far trained thousands of union activists who are now managing their unions competently. Many of these organisations are engaged in studies, data compilation, labour market surveys and research on various labour matters the results of which are published in the form of books, reports, manuals, & papers. Besides, HMS brings out a regular monthly 'HMS Bulletin' that publishes statistical data, synopsis of studies, reviews of books and specialized articles on labour in addition to HMS views on various issues and the news on HMS activities..................top

CAMPAIGNS UNDERTAKEN With the huge backlog of unemployed people and a constant addition of innumerable job seekers, HMS thought that the surest way to protect their interests would be to seek job assurance as a constitutional right. Hence with the cooperation of some friendly social organisations, it has taken a lead in demanding 'Right to Work' to be included in the fundamental rights under the constitution. Though acceptance of this radical demand may not be round the corner, there are positive indications that because of the mounting pressure generated by this campaign, the central as well as the state governments shall soon give priority for job assurance to the unemployed or in the alternative, a provision of some relief to the job-less.

HMS has also undertaken massive and sustained campaign against the adverse fallouts of the new economic and industrial policies of the government. Privatisation of public sector units, exit policy through closures, retrenchment and 'Voluntary' retirement schemes, and anti-working class, anti-trade union amendments to the existing labour laws are some of the evils that flow from the government's new policy. To combat them, HMS has launched multi-pronged campaign. To bring clarity of perception of this policy and with a view to educate the cadre, HMS has conducted a number of seminars, workshops and meetings at the national levels and lower levels. Moreover, well prepared documents and articles have been published by HMS for the consumption of trade unionists, workers and public at large and for presentation before various committees/commissions including the Indian Labour Conference, 2nd National Commission Labour, etc.

Industry-wise federations of HMS unions have also been in the forefront in launching campaigns and struggles to safeguard the interests of their members. Prominent among these have been the All India Railwaymen's Federation which led a spirited campaign against attempts to privatise various services in the railways like catering, maintenance etc. Similarly the All India Port and Dock Workers Federation has prevented the Port authority from implementing privatisation plans. HMS unions in the Maharashtra State Road Transport sector even got the support of the officers in their massive campaign against 'Privatisation'. As a result, the largest State Roadways Transport Corporation in the country had to shelve their plan of privatisation.

Similarly the Federations in the Coal, Steel and Sugar sectors have achieved landmark wage settlement for their members through informed campaigns backed by nationwide agitational programmes.

Side by side, HMS has effectively participated in the joint action programmes like mass meetings, demonstrations and all India industrial strikes for pressurising the Government to rethink on its newly adopted policies. top

WIDER PERSPECTIVE One of the major problems of Indian trade union movement has been the lack of unity amongst the central organisations of trade unions which has led to the weakening of the bargaining power of the working class. HMS has therefore, from time to time, made efforts to bring the central organisations on a common platform through co-ordination and consultative committees. Not only that, but HMS has been making serious efforts for the consolidation of the trade union movement through the merger of major central trade union organisations. This initiative is now getting a positive response from other organisations raising the hope of a united trade union movement in the near future.

HMS has also not lost sight of its wider role in the context of international trade union movement. Within a year of its establishment, HMS has become one of the founder members of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions which was founded in 1949. Since then, HMS has participated in a large number of conferences, seminars and programmes conducted by the ICFTU all over the world and has played a positive role in the formation of its policies. At the regional level, HMS is also affiliated to the ICFTU-Asian and Pacific Regional Organisation (APRO). Most of the federations of HMS, many of which are the mightiest in the country, are affiliated to the corresponding International Trade Secretariats. HMS is also the founder member of SARTUC and is taking prominent part in its various activities. ......top

EXTENSION OF AREAS The first and the foremost duty of trade unions is no doubt to protect and further the interests of the working class through collective bargaining with the employers and influencing the Government policy. HMS has all along been doing it with full vigour by itself and through its affiliates as a result of which considerable success has been achieved on this front. HMS, however, is of the firm opinion that the responsibility of trade unions does not end there. If the working class is to be really emancipated from the present day drudgery, and has to be installed in a comfortable life with proper dignity, then the trade unions have also to undertake some of the labour welfare measures on their own. In this regard, HMS can say with a bit of satisfaction that it itself and many of its affiliates have been quite active in this area and have launched a large variety of schemes for the benefit of their members and their families. These include credit societies, co-operative banks, consumer stores, housing, schools, community halls and kitchen, holiday homes, employment generation projects and many other such ventures.

While striving to improve the lot of unionised workers, HMS has not forgotten the plight of the unorganised labour and of the weaker sections of the toiling community. It realises that special attention has to be paid to unionise them and to offer them a helping hand till they are organised. It is in this direction that HMS has undertaken an extensive drive to educate and organise them through meetings, education classes, demonstrations and struggles wherever necessary. For that purpose, HMS has setup a special wing of youth, women and rural workers. These sections conduct manifold activities for them under the guidance of the committees elected for each of them.

In general sense also, HMS has all along endevoured to create and develop social consciousness among workers. Its aim is not only to improve the economic conditions of the workers, but also to help them to become better individuals and respected citizens. It is this acceptance of a wider responsibility, side by side with specific commitments towards the working class, that has given HMS a special place in the Trade Union Movement of India........................top

INDUSTRY WISE FEDERATIONS OF HMS UNIONS All India Railwaymen's Federation. All India Port and Dock Workers Federation. Steel, Metal and Engineering Workers Federation of India (HMS). All India Sugar Workers Federation (HMS). Indian Federation of Building and Wood Workers. Textile Workers Federation of India (HMS). Hind Khadan Mazdoor Federation (HMS). All India Port and Dock Workers Federation (Workers). Chemical Mazdoor Federation of India (HMS). Electricity Workers Federation of India (HMS). Hotel Workers Federation of India (HMS). Indian Seafarers Federation. Federation of Indian Plantation Workers. Municipal and Civic bodies Employees Federation (HMS). Commercial Employees Federation (HMS). All India Defence Employees Federation