The Importance Of Registration Of Trade Unions

Registration of Trade Unions
The Trade Unions Act, 1926 lays down the law relating to the registration of trade unions. Registration of trade unions assumes significance because, under the Industrial Disputes Act and Industrial Employment Standing Orders Act, a trade union is defined as a trade union that has been registered under the Trade Unions Act, 1926.
Few advantages of Registration of Trade Union are as follows:
i) Registered Trade Union shall be a body corporate by the name under which it is registered. ii) It will have perpetual succession and a common seal. iii) It can acquire both movable and immovable property in its own name and contract in its own name. iv) Immunity from provision of criminal conspiracy in trade disputes and

Each undertaking can have only one recognised trade union. Any union which has a membership of not less than thirty percent of the number of employees employed in any undertaking may apply in the prescribed form to the Industrial Court for being registered as a recognised union for such undertaking. The union with the largest membership will be granted recognition. The obligations and rights of recognised trade unions are laid down in Sections 19, 20 and 21 of the said Act. The rights include the right to meet and discuss with employer for the purpose of prevention or settlement of an industrial dispute, to inspect the undertaking, put up notices on the premises of the undertaking, appear on behalf of the employee in any domestic or departmental enquiry, right to represent the employee in any proceeding related to unfair labour practices

Every undertaking shall have only one recognised trade union. On such recognition, the employer is obliged to recognise the trade union as the sole bargaining agent or principal bargaining agent or constituent of the joint bargaining council, as the case may be.
In Karnataka, however, there are no statutes/enactments pertaining to recognition of trade unions. While the workers have a right to form and register trade unions, there is no corresponding statutory obligation on the Employer to recognise such Trade Unions in the State of Karnataka (unless there is an agreement or Standing Order to the