Formation of the AICCWW: A Radical Initiative in the Indian Labour Movement

The organised labour movement in our country has just completed a century. The first all-India level trade union – the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) – was formed in 1920. Over this long period, the labour movement has faced many challenges and has learnt valuable lessons in taking forward the movement to improve the working and living conditions of the working class. This paper deals with one specific aspect of the labour movement – the unionisation of working women and the strategies required to achieve their equal representation in unions, especially in their decision making bodies.