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Labour Law I · Unit 2

Trade Unions Act: concept, definitions and registration

Unit 2 of Labour Law and Industrial Relations – I (syllabus: Module 2 — TU Act 1926, ss. 1–14; IR Code Ch. III, ss. 5–13). Below: what the unit covers, the provisions it turns on, and the cases an examiner expects you to name.

What this unit covers

  • What is a 'trade union' under s. 2(h), and must it be connected with a trade or industry?
  • What must a trade union of workmen show before it can be registered?
  • Has the Registrar of Trade Unions any discretion to refuse registration?
  • What does a union gain by registration, and what does an unregistered union lose?

Treat that list as a self-test: recite each topic's rule from memory before you open its cases.

Provisions

Leading cases

  • Rangaswami v Registrar of Trade Unions
  • Trade Unions Act 1926
  • ACC Rajanka Limestone Quarries Mazdoor Union v Registrar of Trade Unions

Full case summaries

Exam questions on this unit