OBJECTIVES OF TRADE UNIONS       

The failure of particular worker to find solutions to difficulty, while discharging his duties, personal and organisational, led workers to form a formal group which is recognized at current as trade union. Therefore, the major objective of any trade union is to defend the interest of workers/employees in the organisation. but, the workers' interest/welfare is a vast term in which several subjects - wages and salaries, , working hours, working conditions, promotions, transfers recruitment and classification, discipline, training, leave and holidays, bonus, incentives , sanitation, employee relations, quarters , facilities to unions, mechanisation, employee relations welfare and the like are included. Therefore, a trade union is meant to conduct negotiations on the behalf of the individual workers in respect of several items. Though, specifically trade unions concentrate their attention to attain the following objectives:

1.  Wages and Salaries

The subject which drew the main attention of the trade unions is salaries and wages. Of course, this item can be related to policy matters. Though, differences may occur in the procedure of their implementation. In the particular case of unorganised sector the trade union plays a critical role in bargaining the pay scales.

2. Working conditions

Trade unions having a view to safeguard the health of workforce demands the management to provide all the fundamental facilities such as, sanitation, lighting and ventilation, safety equipment rest rooms, when discharging hazardous duties, , refreshment, drinking water, minimum working hours, holidays with pay, leave and rest, social security benefits, job satisfaction,  and other welfare measures.

3. Discipline

Trade unions not only conduct negotiations in respect of the items through which their working conditions might be improved but also defend the workers from the clutches of management when workers become the victims of management's disciplinary policies & unilateral acts. This victimisation might take the form of penal transfers, dismissals, suspensions etc. In such kind of situation the separated worker who is left in a helpless condition might approach the trade union. Finally the problem might be brought to the notice of management by the trade union and it described about the injustice meted out to a particular worker and fights against the management for justice. Therefore, the victimised employee might be protected by the trade union.

4. Personnel policies

Trade unions might fight against inappropriate implementation of personnel policies in respect of, selection, recruitment, transfers, promotions training, etc.

5. Welfare

As earlier stated, trade unions are meant for the welfare of employees. Trade union workings as a, consulting authority, guide & cooperates in overcoming the personnel difficulty of workers. It might bring to the notice of management, through collective meetings, bargaining the difficulties of workers in respect of sanitation, schools, quarters, hospitals, and colleges for their children's social problems and cultural.

6. Employee-employer relations

Harmonious relations among the employee and employer is a sine qua non for industrial peace. Always a trade union strives for attaining this objective. Though, the bureaucratic attitude and unilateral thinking of management might lead to conflicts in the organisation which finally disrupt the relations between the management and workers. Trade union, being the representative of all of the workers, might carry out continuous negotiations with the management having a view to promoting industrial peace.

7.  Negotiating Machinery

Negotiations involve the proposals take by one party and the counter proposals of the other party. This procedure continues until the parties attain an agreement. Therefore, negotiations are depends on 'give and take' principle. Trade union as being a party for negotiations protects the interests of workforce through collective bargaining. Therefore, the trade union works like the negotiating machinery.

8.  Safeguarding organisational health and the interest of the industry

Organisational health might be diagnosed by methods evolved for grievance redressal & techniques adapted to decreased the rate of absenteeism & labour turnover and to enhance the employee relations. Trade unions by their effectual working may attain employee satisfaction. Therefore, trade unions help in dropping the labour turnover, rate of absenteeism, and developing systematic grievance settlement process leading to harmonious industrial relations. Trade unions can therefore contribute to the improvements in level of productivity and production, discipline and enhance quality of work life.