Forward Seamen’s Union of India, commonly known as FSUI, was established on 30th May, 1954. Prior to that, seamen were subjected to inhuman torture, victimization and hire and fire by the ship owners. There was no seamen’s employment office. Unemployed youths used to stand in the queue for jobs. Gangsters and musclemen along with shipping agents were preferred mostly the non-Indian seamen. Young Indian seafarers were left out for a job. These tortures, created anger and resentment amongst seamen. There was constant desire amongst seamen to lodge protest unitedly. This desire and urge amongst them brought them together to initially form Merchant Navy Trainees’ Club. Soon the seamen realized that without a trade union it would not be possible to combat or counter ship owners’ virulent attack. That was the starting point with the formation of FSUI in 1957 as stated above.