In India the first systematic attempt to form a Trade Union on a permanent basis was done as early as 1906 in the Post Office at Bombay and Calcutta. Then came the Textile Workers Union, the Port Trust Union, and Railway men’s Union etc. The founding members of these unions were not politicians, but social workers, like N M Lokhande, Dr Bapista, N M Joshi, B P Wadia etc. With the formation of ILO in the year 1919 after the First World War(1914-1918), the British Government took the initiative of forming an All India Organisation of Trade Unions with the main purpose of getting Indian Workers’ representation at the ILO conferences. The name of that organisation was All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). It was an independent one. Gradually, the leaders of Indian National Congress (INC) who were leading the freedom struggle came to lead this organisation. But afterwards the communist Party of India captured the organisation. The INC later formed a Central Trade Union Organisation (CTUO) in the name of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) of their own in 1947 after India became independent and the INC came to power. In a short time INTUC became the biggest CTUO. A number of other CTUO also like HMS, UTUC, and CITU came into being as a result of the splits in the various political parties and each group requiring a Trade Union of its own. Thus the Trade Unions became infested with too much of power- politics. They had no programme or plan to look after the real needs of the workers. The communists also utilised their Trade Unions to create unrest as prelude to some sort of revolution which is yet to happen!
Seeing this trend in the Indian Trade Union Movement, one great and farsighted man- a deep philosopher and great organiser- decided to save the Indian worker from the clutches of these politicians. And thus Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) was founded by a great patriot and the Social reformer Param Shradheya Dattopanth Thengadiji on 23rd July 1955 at Bhopal. His vision and perception of Labour movement in our country has gained worldwide acclaim, in addition to securing Number One position for BMS amongst all national level trade unions.
BMS declared that workers should be nationalistic in outlook, the organisation should look after the full needs of workers and the country should be strengthened. This idea attracted a number of idealistic young workers to come and take up the work of organising BMS. Their selfless service attracted the workers to the organisation and gradually the BMS grew and grew- despite the fact that it had no ministers, no member of Parliament no politicians from their own ranks. Even then a big group of nationalist politicians, social workers, economists did help them to grow. BMS is Nationalist in outlook, Patriotic in action. Discipline, Character and Honesty is the basis of its strength. Development of indigenous economy is its programme. Welfare of all workers of World is the vision and Workers! Unite the world is the slogan. No Governmentalisation, but Labourisation of industries is its philosophy. Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Glory to Mother India is its mantra.
Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) meaning Indian Workers’ Organisation- has ideologically a distinctively different approach than the rest of the Trade Unions in India in the sense that it is a totally nationalist, non-political, independent organisation. It has now taken off in this field after creating an All India nucleus of Trade Unions, Industrial Federations and Workers trained in its original lines in all parts of India. The Indian Government has after due verification of the membership and Union figures of all Central Trade Union Organisations, officially notified BMS as the biggest organisation of workers, first on December 29, 1996, on the basis of the figures as on 31-12-1989 and then again on the basis of the figures of 31-12-1999 we were number one and once again on the basis of the figures of 31-12-2009, our BMS would emerge as NUMBER ONE for consecutive third time.
The philosophy of BMS is “Workers, unite the world” and NOT “Workers of the world unite”. The cherished human values and rich heritage of this country are a reassure to BMS and BMS dedicates itself to protect this treasure through “Tyag, Tapasya and Balidan”. National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) is the offshoot of BMS in the Banking industry.