REGISTRATION OF TRADE UNIONSCentral

Section 14 of THE TRADE UNIONS ACT, 1926

following Acts, namely:--

(a)The Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860),
(b)The Co-operative Societies Act, 1912 (2 of 1912), 1*[(c) The Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956);] shall not apply to any registered Trade Union, and the registration of any such Trade Union under any such Act shall be void. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
(d)were omitted by Act 25 of 1942, s. 2 and Sch. I. CHAP RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES OF REGISTERED TRADE UNIONS

↩1.Subs. bu Act 42 of 1960, s. 7, for cl. (e) Former cls. (e) and

Summary

The Societies Registration Act of 1860 does not apply to registered Trade Unions.
The Co-operative Societies Act of 1912 also does not apply to these unions.
The Companies Act of 1956 is specifically excluded from applying to registered Trade Unions.
If a Trade Union tries to register under any of these three other Acts, that registration is considered void and has no legal power.
This section ensures that Trade Unions are only governed by the rules meant for them, not rules meant for businesses or clubs.

Practical examples

1A group of workers at a tea plantation tries to register their labor union as a Co-operative Society to get a tax break, but Section 14 makes that registration legally worthless.

2A lawyer advising a new union tells them they do not need to follow the complicated filing rules of the Companies Act because Section 14 says that law does not apply to them.

FAQ

1. Can a Trade Union be a registered company under the Companies Act and a union at the same time according to Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

No, Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926 says the Companies Act shall not apply to any registered Trade Union, and any such registration under that Act would be void.

2. Does the Societies Registration Act apply to unions under Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

No, Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926 explicitly states that the Societies Registration Act, 1860 shall not apply to any registered Trade Union.

3. What happens if a union registers under the Co-operative Societies Act according to Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

Under Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926, such registration would be void and would not give the union any legal standing under that Act.

Test yourself

Q1.Which of these Acts does NOT apply to a registered Trade Union under Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

Q2.According to Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926, what is the legal status of a union's registration under the Co-operative Societies Act?

Q3.Why was Section 14 included in the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

Q4.Which year is associated with the Companies Act mentioned in Section 14 of the Trade Unions Act, 1926?

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