Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter X. - Railways - continued

Collection:: Economics Books

166 CHAPTER X, aud representatives of the unions that gave evidence before us should do much to improve the effectiveness of their organisations. There can be no doubt that, within the last few years, the appointment of special establishment and employment officers and other movements for the im- provement of labour conditions on railways have been due in a large measure tothe sustained pressure of trade union executives. The All- India Railwaymen’s Federation, in particular, though not a registered body under the Trade Unions Act, has been taking an active part in col- lective bargaining with railway authorities. Having affiliated to it trade unions of men working on all but two of the Class I railways and with an alleged membership of 100,000, it has been able to exercise consider- able influence, and arrangements have been made for half-yearly con- ferences with the Railway Board for the discussion of matters affecting wages and conditions of service of railway employees as a whole. The Federation “ desires that there should be frequent consultations between employers’ and workers’ organisations in regard to staff matters to mini- mise misunderstanding and consequent unhappy relations. The railway unions’ right to speak on behalf of their members must be recognised irrespective of the fact whether the grievances discussed are general or individual.” Since the inception of trade unionism on the railways, the question of recognition has been a bone of contention between the unions and the administrations. The Railways’ position is thus indicated in the memorandum of the Railwav Board —— “ Generally the attitude of the Railway Board is that unions conducted on sound trade union principles ought to be encouraged and that the registration of a union ander the Trade Unions Act should predispose a railway administration to recog- aise a union, though the degree of such recognition must necessarily depend on the extent to which such union is really representative of the class or classes of staff which it is supposed to represent. The representation of individual grievances by anions is not encouraged since it is considered that adequate machinery for dealing with these already exists, individuals having the recognised official channels through which they can seck redress. On the other hand no definite ban has been laid on administrations in this respect, and there are many instances of individual griev- ances put up by a union being enquired into. There is at present little uniformity with regard to the extent to which individual railways enter into relation with their anions, nor is it possible or expedient that standardisation should be imposed until some uniformity exists in the constitution and activities of tha varions Assncia- Hong ? Generally speaking, there is ground for the complaint that at least some of the administrations expect a higher standard of efficiency, respon- sibility and organisation from the trade unions than can reasonably be expected at this stage in their development. We deal in another chapter with the desirability of stimulating the growth of healthy trade unionism, with the principles governing the recognition of unions and with what is involved in recognition. = We believe that a more generous policy in respect of recognition would be to the advantage of all concerned in railway work, and we commend this matter to the careful consideration of administrations and unions. These bodies should also arrive at an understanding concerning the extent of the facilities to be given to union officers and members actively engaged in promoting organisation. In the past. assistance has

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