Sathish has been claiming in Anarcaplib that the unions in Kerala are learning from their earlier mistakes and are willing to correct them. I am sceptical if they will ever do it, and to tell you why, I will have to tell you people a story about Trade Unionism. It is a long story with many morals at the end of it. But before that, here is a little-known titbit. The earlier British version of the term was Trades Union (in singular). Can anyone tell me why? It has to do with the history of how the unions were formed. And oh. The correct answer will get you a gmail invite!
If you want one, that is.
This might be full of errors, so apologies in advance.
Collaboration between workers of a trade to increase wages was thought of as a conspiracy against the state (under common law) from 1425 onwards when wages were controlled completely by the state. Through acts in 1799-1800, this illegality of collaborations was made more stringent and any person collaborating with others to increase wages or decrease quantity of work could be put in jail for upto three months or put to hard labour for two months. Trade clubs did exist though in spite of these acts, but the acts helped suppress any action against the employers. In 1824, a committee appointed by the House of Commons recommended repealing these acts to give owners and workers the liberty of coming to an agreement on wages and hours, independent of the government (the committee also recommended repealing the common law against collaborations for the same reason). However, the House immediately perceived these recommendations as alarming and in 1825, another act was passed which brought things to where they were before 1824, except that it allowed collaboration for the purpose of discussing wages and hours (no violence, intimidation etc. could not be used under any circumstance). This modification of the collaboration (combination) laws gave an impetus to the explansion of trade unions which resulted in widespread strikes. However, the unions were mostly unsuccessful due to the economic depression at the time. This was follwed by (in the 1830’s) an attempt on the part of thw workers to form unions across trades instead of restricting them to their own trade, so as to establish a universal combination of workers such as the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union formed in 1834. Such a combination (most of them pretty shortlived) was referred to as a “trades union”.
Sathish can comment abt the trade union culture in kerala sitting from his cosy room in IIMK. but the harsh reality becomes clear when he starts talking/negotiating with those ppl. i spent 4 years in College of Engg, Trivandrum, and i clearly remember payin 1000 bucks to one union jackass to transport a project item which weighed less than 2-3 kilos. thats communism for you. a roadside barber will charge 30 bucks for a hair cut. thats communism..
iimk trade union