Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh 1955

Full name Indian Workers Union

Native name Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh

Founded July 23, 1955

Members 11 million(2010)

Country India

Affiliation Independent



International relations

Being one of the most representative organisations of Labour, BMS has a place in the Indian delegation to the annual International Labour Conference held by ILO at GENEVA every year.
Being largest Central Trade Union Organisation of India, BMS is leading the Indian Labour delegation to ILO, Geneva each year on behalf of Indian workforce.
Special Session of United Nations Organisation was held on 5–9 June 2000 in New York on “Women 2000, Gender Equality, Development and Peace for 21st Century”. Kum. Suchitra Mahapatra of BMS participated on behalf of Indian Women workforce.
It works in close relations with the ILO office in Delhi, participating in all its national and regional level seminars / workshops, its endeavour being to contribute its best.
BMS is not affiliated with any International Confederation but maintains cordial relation with all such organisations.
Instead of giving call for the workers of the world to unite, it has given a call to the workers all over, to unite the world.


Key people Girish Awasthi, president

Office location New Delhi, India

Website www.bms.org.in



History

BMS was founded on 23 July 1955 – the day being the birth anniversary of Lok Manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak – veteran of Freedom Movement. Two important aspects stand out in connection with this:
(a) Formation of BMS was not the result of split in the existing trade union organisations, unlike in the case of almost all other trade unions. Hence it had the formidable responsibility of building its organisational structure from the grass root level. It started from zero having no trade union, no membership, no activist (karyakarta), no office and no fund. (b) On the very first day it was visualised as a trade union whose base-sheet anchors – would be Nationalism, would work as a genuine trade union, keeping itself scrupulously away from party politics. This was also unlike other trade unions which were linked to one or the other political party, overtly or otherwise.


Aims And Objectives

The aims and objectives of BMS are:
(a) To establish ultimately the Bharatiya order of society in which there shall be secured among other things:
i. Complete utilisation of manpower and resources leading to full employment and maximum production. ii. Replacement of profit motive by service motive and establishment of economic democracy resulting in equitable distribution of wealth to the best advantage of all individual citizens and of the national as a whole. iii. Development of autonomous industrial communities forming part and parcel of the nation, culminating in ‘Labourisation of industry’ iv. Provision of work with living wage to every individual through maximum industrialisation of the nation. (b) With a view to enable the workers to strive successfully for the ultimate realisation of the above objects and to strengthen them, in the meanwhile, to make their own contribution to the cause of protecting and promoting their interest consistent with those of the community:
v. To assist workers in organising themselves in trade unions as a medium of service to the motherland irrespective of faiths and political affinities. vi. To guide, direct, supervise and coordinate the activities of the affiliated unions. vii. To assist the affiliated unions in the formation of state BMS units and Industrial Federations as constituent units of the BMS and viii. To bring about unity in the trade union movement. (c) To secure and preserve for the workers:
ix. The right to work, the right for security of service and for social security, the right to conduct trade union activities and the right to strike as a last resort after having exhausted other legitimate methods of trade unionism for redressal of grievances. x. Improvement in conditions of work, life and social and industrial status. xi. A living wage consistent with a national minimum and due share in the profits in their respective industries as partners. xii. Other appropriate amenities xiii. Expeditious enforcement and appropriate amendment of existing labour legislation in their interest and xiv. Enactment of new labour laws from time to time in consultation with the labour representatives. (d) To inculcate in the minds of the workers the spirit of service, cooperation and dutifulness and develop in them a sense of responsibility towards the nation in general and industry in particular (e) To educate the labour by organising worker’s training classes, study circles, guest lectures, seminars, symposia, excursions etc., in cooperation with institutions and organisations having similar aims and objects such as the Central Board of Workers Education. Labour Research Centre, Universities etc., and also to maintain libraries. (f) To publish or cause publication of journals, periodicals, pamphlets, pictures, books and many other types of literature mainly concerning labour and their interests and to purchase, sell & circulate them. (g) To establish, encourage and organise Labour Research Centres and similar activities. (h) Generally to take such other steps as may be necessary to ameliorate the social, economic, cultural, civic and general conditions of the workers. For sound health of workers and society BMS has been against the use of any type of drugs, liquor, alcohol and smoking. (i) To render assistance or to establish cooperative societies, welfare institutions, clubs etc., for the overall welfare of the common man in general and the workers and their families in particular.