AITUC
Modern mechanized industries did not appear in Kerala till the early decade of the Twentieth Century. The First Coir Factory in Kerala was established by the Europeans in Alleppey in the year 1859. The ‘ Travancore Labour Association’, the first Labour Organization in Kerala was formed there in April 1922.
P. K. Bava (Popularly known as Vadapuram Bava) was the founder of the ‘Travancore Labour Association’. He was an employee of the Empire Coir works. He also evinced interest in the social reform activities of Sree Narayana and T.K. Madhavan.Originally the ‘ Travancore Labour Association' was named the ‘ Labour Union’ in its first meeting held at Alleppey in April 1922. The Meeting elected Dr. Antony as the President and P.K.Bava as the Secretary. Four months later, the general body of the 'Labour Union’ met again and adopted the new name ‘ Travancore Labour Association’.
The first Labour Strike took place in Kerala in the year 1907 in protest against the twelve hour work norm prevalent in the Derasmale Company. The working hours got reduced by one and a half hours.
During the time the First World War there was wide spread cut in wages and retrenchment in factories.
In the Year 1928 the workers in the tile industry in Quilon came together to form the ‘Quilon Labour Union’. The Trade Union organizers in Quilon during the First World War period and after were K. G. Sanker, Adv. K. P. Damodaran, K.P.Narayanan, Dr. M.R.Govinda Pillai and M.R.Madhava Warrier.
The first Labour Strike took place in Kerala in the year 1907 in protest against the twelve hour work norm prevalent in the Derasmale Company. The working hours got reduced by one and a half hours.
During the time of the First World War there was wide spread cut in wages and retrenchment in factories.
In the Year 1928 the workers in the tile industry in Quilon came together to form the ‘Quilon Labour Union’. The Trade Union organizers in Quilon during the First World War period and after were K.G.Sanker, Adv. K.P.Damodaran, K.P.Narayanan, Dr.M.R.Govinda Pillai and M.R.Madhava Warrier.
In the Plantation Sector Trade Unions emerged only later. In 1930 an organization for Plantation Labourers came in to being at Mundakayam.
It was in the aftermath of the 1928 Railway Strike that Trade Union Consciousness started in the Malabar (North Kerala) region.
During the period 1930-1931 a labour strike took place in the Kozhikode Commonwealth Cotton Mill. Tile factories and power loom textile sector also witnessed labour strikes. These strikes were not held under the banner of any trade union.
The ‘ Thiruvithamkur Boat Crew Association’ was formed in Alleppey in the year 1930.
The great depression of the 1930’s witnessed several labour agitations in Kerala. It was during this period that the Labour Unions turned to agitations like strikes in place of the earlier form of petitioning. The Unions formed in different sectors came under the influence of the Congress Socialist Party (CSP). Trade Union activities spread to every nook and corner of Malabar.
In May 1935 the first All Kerala Workers Conference was held in Kozhikode. The conference demanded complete independence for India.
The Second All Kerala Workers Conference held at Trissur on 25th April 1937 asked the Trade Unions in Kerala to get affiliated with the AITUC.
The Trade Union movement got further strengthened in Travncore and Cochin with the passage of the new Trade Union laws providing for registration of Trade Unions. In 1938 the ‘Thiruvithamkur Coir Factory Workers Union’ registered and it was the First Trade Union in Travancore Cochin.
In 1939 the All Malaber Motor Workers Conference was held. This marked the beginning of workers in one sector organizing their own unions.
Travancore State Congress began the struggle for Responsible Government in the Princely State of Travncore on October, 1938.
In 1939 the Congress Socialist Party (CSP) in Kerala became the Communist Party.
In order to end the Dewan’s autocratic rule in Travancore, the workers began their political strike on 22 October 1946. This struggle signaled the emergence of a politically conscious proletariat in Kerala.
