INDUSTRIES

LABOUR ORGANIZATION

Though the beginning of organised industry in the district  could be traced as far back as the seventies of the last century, no systematic attempt was made to organise labour as late as the thirties of this century. The aftermath of depression of 1929 could well have paved the way for the formation of labour associations but the absence of confident leadership and seasonal nature of the main industries prevented a healthy growth of trade union ism. The first union which was registered in 1938 under the Trade Unions Act, 1926, was a textile union. It was followed by another in 1941 and by three more during 1944—47.

With the exception of the textile labour, trade unionism in other industries made headway only at later stages as could be seen from the table below:—

TABLE No. 10

STATEMENT SHOWING THE YEARS DURING WHICH UNIONS WERE REGISTERED UNDER THE TRADE UNIONS ACT, 1926 (JALGAON DISTRICT).

The following table shows the position of trade unions in regard to membership, income and expenditure in the year. 1951-52 to 1955-56: —

TABLE No. 11

STATEMENT SHOWING THE INFORMATION REGARDING TOTAL MEMBERSHIP, INCOME, EXPENDITURE, ASSETS AND LIABILITIES OF THE REGISTERED TRADE UNIONS IN THE JALGAON DISTRICT FOR THE YEARS 1951-52 To 1955-56.

During 1953-55 there were six strikes, four by workers of municipalities and ordnance factory, one by workers of Grampanchayat and one by workers of fire-works. The total number of workers involved in these strikes was 1,186 and the man-days lost were 1,264. The causes of strikes were different from union to union such as demand for higher wages, reduction of the hours of work and better service conditions. (Three strikes of municipal and Grampanchayat workers resulted into compromise between the workers and the managements. Two were unsuccessful and one was inconclusive.)

The Bombay Industrial Relations Act, 1947, enacted by the Government of Bombay and brought into force in the same year and the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, enacted by the Central Government and also brought into force in the same year, provide machinery for settlement of industrial disputes either by conciliation or by arbitration under the Bombay Industrial Relations Act or by conciliation or adjudication under the Industrial Disputes Act.

The following three unions were registered under the Bombay Industrial Relations Act as Representative Unions in the cotton textile industry for the area shown against them:—

There were no other representative unions in the other industries.

The following tables No. 12 and 13 show the general position of industrial disputes referred to far conciliation under the Industrial Disputes Act and Bombay Industrial Relations Act.

The Bombay Shops and Establishments Act, 1948, had been made applicable to Amalner. Bbusawal, Chalisgaon. Jalgaon and Pachora municipalities. The Employees Provident Fund Act, 1912, was extended to 17 factories employing 7,724 workmen. The Employees State Insurance Act was not made applicable to any industry in Jalgaon district till 1955-56.

TABLE No. 12.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE POSITION OF THE CASES DEALT WITH IN CONCILIATION UNDER INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES ACT, 1947, DURING THE YEARS 1953, 1954 AND 1955, DISTRICT JALGAON.

Of the ten cases dealt with in conciliation during 1953, four were from the Textile Industry, one from the Chemical Industry and five from other miscellaneous industries.

(2) Of the seventeen cases dealt with in conciliation during 1 954, eight were from Textile Industry, one from the Chemical Industry and eight from other miscellaneous industries.

(3) Of the 27 cases dealt with in conciliation during 1955, three were from Textile Industry, two from the Chemical Industry and 22 from other miscellaneous industries.

TABLE No. 13.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE POSITION OF THE CASES DEALT WITH IN CONCILIATION UNDER THE BOMBAY INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ACT, 1946, DURING THE YEARS 1953, 1954 AND 1955 (JALGAON).

Of the seventeen cases dealt with in conciliation during 1953, 14 were from the Cotton Textile Industry and three from the Silk Textile Industry.

(2) All the 16 cases dealt with in conciliation during 1954 were from the Cotton Textile Industry.

(3) All the 15 cases dealt with in conciliation during 1955 were from the Cotton Textile Industry.

Labour Welfare Activities.

The Bombay Labour Welfare Board which conducted labour welfare activities in the then State of Bombay had four labour welfare kendras, one each at Amalner, Chalisgaon, Dhulia and Jalgaon in 1956. A welfare organiser was in charge of each kendra and was assisted by a male and a female part-time worker in organising activities. These centres provided facilities for recreation. community and social education, and organised special activities for women and children. They arranged film shows, concerts, dramatics and kalapathaks, and provided reading-rooms and libraries, conducted literacy classes and organised debates and group talks.

In the sphere of games and sports the centres provided facilities for out-door games like foot-ball, volley ball, hututu, khokho and for indoor games like carrom, chess, table-tennis, etc. They arranged programmes of health advice and excursions of workers and provided first-aid facilities and home nursing equipment. Among the special activities for women organised by these centres facilities tor sewing, embroidery and knitting were important ones. Shishu uargas, children's libraries, playgrounds and scouting were the special activities conducted for children. The centres were equipped with musical instruments like harmonium, tabla, and materials required for games. A fairly large number of workers attended the programmes organised bv the welfare centres.

TOP