Transport and General Workers' Union - History

History

At the time of its creation in 1922, the TGWU was the largest and most ambitious amalgamation brought about within trade unionism. Its structure combined regional organisation, based on Districts and Areas, with committee organisation by occupation, based on six broad Trade Groups. Trade groups were not closely linked to trades, but were elected by activists. Officials of the union were grouped by region, and could be asked to serve each or any trade group. The amalgamating unions were:

Docks Group

• Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland
• Labour Protection League (London, est. 1871)
• National Amalgamated Coal Workers' Union of Inland and Seaborne Coal Workers (London, est. 1889)
• National Amalgamated Labourers' Union of Great Britain and Ireland (Cardiff, est. 1889)
• North of England Trimmers' and Teemers' Association

Waterways Group

• Amalgamated Society of Watermen, Lightermen and Bargemen

Administrative, Clerical and Supervisory Group There was often ambiguity in the TGWU over the actual name of its white-collar section. From the 1960s it was generally known as ACTS (Administrative, Clerical, Technical and Supervisory) but also sometimes to as the ACTSS (Association of Clerical, Technical and Supervisory Staff). It was noted for an enquiry by the Certification Office in 2006 into board members who had joined the union within six months of being elected to senior posts

• National Association of Ships' Clerks, Grain Weighers and Coalmeters
• National Union of Docks, Wharves and Shipping Staffs

Passenger Services and Road Transport (Commercial) Groups

• Amalgamated Association of Carters and Motormen (Leeds, est. 1916)
• Amalgamated Carters, Lurrymen and Motormen's Union (Bolton, est. 1890)
• Associated Horsemen's Union (Greenock, est. 1894)
• National Union of Vehicle Workers
• North of Scotland Horse and Motormen's Association (Dundee, 1911)
• United Vehicle Workers

The Scottish Union of Dock Labourers and National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers in Great Britain and Ireland initially voted not to amalgamate, but joined before the end of 1922 nonetheless. The Greenock Sugar Porters' Union, Dundee Flax and Jute Stowers' Society, National Union of British Fishermen, and Belfast Breadservers' Association had also joined before the end of the year.

The Amalgamated Carters, Lurrymen and Motormen's Union merged with the Transport and General Workers' Union in 1922. Until its members were fully integrated in 1968, the union formed the North of England Commercial Section within the TGWU, retaining a great deal of autonomy and in many ways effectively functioning as a separate union, even being registered separately with the Registrar of Friendly Societies. It had previously had a similar arrangement with the United Vehicle Workers, another union that joined the merger forming the TGWU. Lurry was an old-fashioned spelling of lorry, and the spelling lorrymen is also seen in the union's documents.

Several specialised unions voted later to merge with the TGWU, including

• Dundee Pilots in 1945.
• Cardiff, Penarth and Barry Coal Trimmers' Union in 1967

The latest union to merge was the Community and Youth Workers' Union, whose members approved the merger on 13 September 2006, with the formal merger being approved by the Trades Union Certification Officer on 8 January 2007. For a full list, see the list of TGWU amalgamations.

The Transport and General Workers' Union spearheaded the campaign for the registration of Gangmasters in the UK, sponsoring an Act of Parliament which received the Royal Assent on 8 July 2004.