Workers Participation in Management

Abstract

History of the modern idea of workers participation can be traced back to the industrial revolution which began in the Eighteenth Century. With the advent of the industrial revolution the size of the enterprises increased and along with it the numerical strength of the workforce increased. By the mid-nineteenth century, the intellectual reaction to industrialism had assumed a whole spectrum of different forms and with the emergence of joint stock company type of organization workers were neglected, eliminated for maximization of profits. Workers felt that since they had a much greater stake in their Organizations, their interests should be protected. To counterbalance the power of the owners, workers organized themselves into unions and made the owners consider their various demands including point of view in the management of the enterprises. The owners, after reconsidering the power of unions, gradually yielded to the demand of the workers and negotiated with them on the aspects which directly affect the workers. These new trends strengthened the Trade Union movements and enabled them to play a constructive role in the furtherance of democratic values and principles. Several governments in Europe and Latin America passed laws giving level protection to Trade Unions and recognized the practice of the Trade Unions and the practice of collective bargaining. The Declaration of Philadelphia adopted by the I. L.O. in 1944 gave further stimulus to the movement as a consequence of which the personality and dignity of the workers was upheld. The Declaration further asked for the formation of a programme which among other things should achieve the effective recognition of the right of collective bargaining, the co-operation of management and labour in the continuous improvement of production efficiency and the collaborations of workers employers in the preparation and application of social and economic measures.