The Graphical, Paper and Media Union (GPMU) was a trade union in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland between 1992 and 2005. Having been formed from the merger of SOGAT and the National Graphical Association, it claimed to be the world's largest media union, and had over 200,000 members working in the print, publishing, paper, IT and media industries. The sole General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Dubbins, the Deputy General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Burke.
Facing a decline in membership, in February 2004, GPMU opened merger negotiations with Amicus. In August 2004, results of a ballot of all members were released, showing 86% of members in favour of merger. The formal merger took place in early 2005, and GPMU became the semi-autonomous Graphical, Paper and Media industrial sector of Amicus. Tony Dubbins became the Deputy General Secretary of Amicus and Tony Burke became Assistant General Secretary of Amicus. Tony Dubbins was also the Chair of TULO. He retired in October, 2008.
Amicus merged with the Transport & General Workers Union in May 2007 to form Unite the Union. The GPMU sector became the Graphical, Paper & Media Sector of Unite the union.
Tony Burke is now the Assistant General Secretary of Unite responsible for the union's manufacturing section.
Famous quotes containing the words paper, media and/or union:
“The world is a funny paper read backwards. And that way it isn’t so funny.”
—Tennessee Williams (1914–1983)
“Today the discredit of words is very great. Most of the time the media transmit lies. In the face of an intolerable world, words appear to change very little. State power has become congenitally deaf, which is why—but the editorialists forget it—terrorists are reduced to bombs and hijacking.”
—John Berger (b. 1926)
“Let’s have the Union restored as it was, if we can; but if we can’t, I’m in favor of the Union as it wasn’t.”
—Artemus Ward (1834–1867)