On 14 August 1945 the Great War finally came to an end with the World Federation of Trade Union was founded to forge international unity of the working class cutting across political lines. Initially WFTU was comprised of 6 crore 67 lac members but the member steadily grew and the federation soon developed into a gigantic forum. Keeping in view the broad-based nature of this mass organisation, socialism was never pronounced as its goal. But militant trade union movement led by the working class inevitably leads to the path of socialism. In 1955 the membership of WFTU almost reached 9 crores (8 crores 86 lacs to be accurate). WFTU stood by the struggles of the people under the colonial powers trying to overthrow the foreign yoke. It gave a major assistance tot he working class in these countries in mobilishing trade union movements.

The trade union movement did not previously pay serious alteration in organising the unskilled workers, the women and the black workers. The liberation of many countries from the colonial yoke and more importantly the successful revolutions in several places including Chera under the leadership of the working class added strength and fullness to their struggle. The victories opened new fields of struggles. The unskilled workers, the black workers and the women were also mobilised and brought it’s the political arena. The importance was shifted from craft based unions to plant (industry) based unions. The debacle in Soviet Union and the socialist bloc in Eastern Europe in the last decade of this century have enfeebled the WFTU to a considerable extent.

Right from the beginning of WFTU the disruptionists tried to create schism in the working class unity. The Americas Federation of Labour tried to set up a parallel platform. In 1943 they founded the International Confederation of Free Trade. The word ‘free’ according to them meant deideologised. But their actual objective was to keep the organisation free from socialist ideas and turn it into a lackey of the capitalist camp. From its inception this organisation has tried to restrain the working class from taking part in militant class based movements.

Today there are several international trade union centres but gradually a process of unity is setting in. a combined struggle is being built up from the local to the global level irrespective of the stands taken by their union. At the international conferences held during the recent times unions affiliated to WFTU, WCL, ICFTU and the independent bodies actually took part in the deliberation thought the parent bodies could not come together. Trade Union all over the world cutting across their ideological lines are joining into a united movement against the attack of liberals liberalisation and globalisation. This process will gain momentum in the coming days.

The Future in the Twenty First Century

In the last part of the twentieth Century the balance of power has tilted in favour of capitalism. To extricates themselves from the crisis they are now on the offensive. They will also continue and intensify this aggressive attitude in the coming century. This will bring about deeper crisis worldwide in the lives of the working people. This will lead to concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and pauperistion of many. The inequity of income will be sharpened. Unemployment and underemployment will be on the rise. The purchasing capacity of the people will decrease leading to a further deterioration of the standard of living. Consequently the capitalist class will be entangled in a deeper crisis.

The working class from its birth has fought against capitalist exploitation and wrested away its rights. At times they had to retreat, sometimes they have won. The retreat or victory depended on their unity and striking power. Even when they have retreated they have not left the battlefield.

To this date the working class movement has limited only to the economic arena. The capitalist class has been successful in averting their crises by conceding some economic rights and privileges. But today the nature of the capitalist crisis is complete and profound. Today it is no longer possible for them to sanction any more privileges to the working class. Instead they are bent upon curbing the rights of the people.

The history of the working class movement proves that the capitalist class has constantly instigated activities to weaker the working class movement. Btu today mere temptations cannot allure the working class away from struggle. In fact, the capitalists are now incapable of creating newer among the working class. That is why several unions affiliated to AICFTU have risen in protest against liberalisation and globalisation and against curbing of democratic rights of the toiling masses.

Only united struggle against liberalisation and globalisation can enables the working class to become conscious of the need to overthrow the capitalist system and the need to unify themselves to lead the struggle. The working class should be aware of the danger of the divisive elements. Only the socialist ideology can help them acquire the necessary consciousness.