Non-Governmental Organisations and Trade Unions — The Case of India

Both non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and trade unions form an integral part of the institutional framework in any democratic civil society. Over the years, trade unions have played a major role at both macro and micro levels. Structural and other changes in the world economy have posed critical challenges to trade unions in many countries. In traditional industries, trade union strength is declining and in new, modern, high-tech workplaces unionisation is becoming difficult. For the developing world, the vast untapped rural and informal sector, however, continues to present a major challenge and opportunity for unionisation and holds the promise for resurgence in trade union movement. In contrast, there is a growing tendency among national governments and international agencies to recognise the role of NGOs and even covert and overt attempts to coopt them into the development process. In developing countries like India while both the NGOs and the trade unions have been viewed with mixed perceptions, it appears that, over all, the attitude towards trade unions is relatively less favourable than towards NGOs.