Full-Time Trade Union Leaders & the Societal Context:The Bosses & Deputies

The weakness of the contemporary trade union movement is mostly attributed to the introduction of economic reforms and new labor practices of the post-liberalization era. This, however, neglects the role of the trade union leaders and the social milieu in which they functioned. Based on a micro-level study of full-time trade union leaders of the pre-liberal period of Baroda city, Gujarat, this paper argues: (i) the social milieu constricted the influence of full-time leaders and (ii) the trade union leadership constituted an influence structure, consisting of a hierarchy of leaders designated as 'Bosses' and 'Deputies'.