Symbols of Solidarity Volume 4 Number 4

Electrical and plumbing unions

The Electrical Trades Union 1889 1968

Founded in 1889 with the merger of Union of Electrical Operatives, London based, and the Amalgamated Society of Telegraph & Telephone Construction workers based in Manchester.

Many of the Scottish members left in 1872 to form the rival United Operative Plumbers Association of Scotland.

In 1911 the Union was renamed the United Operative Plumbers & Domestic Engineers Association of GB & Ireland.

The Plumbing Trades Union amalgamated with the Electrical Trades Union in 1968 to form the Electrical Electronic Telecommunications and Plumbing Union (EETPU).

The Plumbing Trades Union

The Union was founded in 1865 when the Manchester Plumbers Society and Liverpool Plumbers merged with a number of small organisations across Scotland, Ireland and some English regions to form the United Operative Plumbers Association of GB & Ireland.

In 1931 the Scottish Union re joined the National body which became the Plumbers, Glaziers & Domestic Engineers Union.

Electrical Electronic Telecommunications and Plumbing Union

The union represented skilled and unskilled workers and in 1971 it set up a white collar section, the Electrical and Engineering Staff Association to recruit workers in the industry where it already had non manual members.

In 1946 the union changed its name to the Plumbing Trades Union.

The EESA became the focus of mergers with the EETPU. A number mainly small failing breakaway unions merged with EESA:

1980: Steel Industry Management Association, Telecommunications Staff Association, United Kingdom Association of Professional Engineers

1991: Colne and District Power Loom Overlookers' Association

1992: British Cement Staffs Association

In 1986 the union's members replaced print workers that had been sacked by News International, prompting the Wapping dispute Although it was found that the union had colluded with News International in replacing the traditional print unions the TUC did not expel the EETPU.

under subsequent branch secretaries was a thorn in the side of the national union.

1982: British Transport Officers' Guild

1983: Association of Management and Professional Staffs

1984: Rolls Royce Management Association

1989: Association of British Professional Divers, Ministry of Defence Staff Association, National Association of Senior Probation Officers, Nelson and District Power Loom Overlookers' Association, Springfield Foreman's Association

1990: Haslingden and District Power Loom Overlookers' Association, Institute of Journalists Trade Union, National Association of Fire Officers, National Association of Power Loom Overlookers, Nationally Integrated Caring Employees, Prison Service Union, Television and Film Production Employees' Association

The EETPU pioneered single union no strike deals but began to offer these deals to companies that were being organised by other TUC unions.

The EETPU refused to abide by a TUC disputes committee ruling against it and was expelled from the TUC in 1987.

Around 5000 EETPU members joined a breakaway union the Electrical and Plumbing Industries Union.

In 1982 the EETPU London Press Branch closed down the national newspapers in support of the health workers’ dispute. Faced with an injunction and refusing to pay the fine, the branch secretary, Sean Geraghty was prepared to go to jail.

National union leaders with the notable exception of the leadership of his own union made it clear they would take action if he suffered in any way. The fine was paid anonymously,

The EETPU merged with the Amalgamated Engineering Union to become the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in May 1992.

London Press Branch

The ETU and EETPU had a branch in Fleet Street which under subsequent branch

Because of the lack of support from the national union most of the branch members applied to join SOGAT. The TUC ordered SOGAT to return the members to EETPU or face expulsion. The members returned to EETPU, but in 1989 after the EEETPU had been expelled from the TUC the members of the London Press Branch joined SOGAT as the Electrical Technical Services Plumbers section.

Graphical Media and Paper unions

A long and sometimes turbulent history, printing unions have been at the forefront in the TU Movement and here we will try and make some sense of how and when we arrived here.

National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants 1889-1982

Founded in 1889 as the Printers Labourers Union, renamed in 1899 as the Operative Printers Assistants Union and in 1904 became the National Society of Operative Printers Assistants NATSOPA, taking the acronym for the first time in 1911. In 1911 the union changed its name to the National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants.

became the National Society of Operative Printing, Bookbinding & Media Personnel 1970 1982 they then merged with SOGAT 75 to form SOGAT 82

Society of Graphical and Allied Trades 1966-1991

Formed in 1966 by the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding & Paper Workers NUPBPW, and the National Society of Operative Printers & Assistants NATSOPA.

National Union of Bookbinders & Machine Rulers 1911 1921. Merged with the National Union of Printing & Paper Workers to form the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding Machine Ruling & Paper Workers 1921 1928.

200 Years of Trade Union activity in the Printing and paper workers Industry, one of consistent mergers prior to where they were in 1966.

In 1899 the Printers & Stationers Warehousemen, Cutters & Assistants was formed who later merged with the Amalgamated Society of Printers to form the National Amalgamated Society of Printers, Warehousemen & Cutters.

In 1966 the Union merged with the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding & Paper Workers 1921 1966 NUPB&PW to form SOGAT Division 1.

The merger dissolved in 1970, the NUPB&PW retained the name SOGAT and NATSOPA

The National Union of Printing, Bookbinding & Paper Workers NUPBPW 1928 1975

Merged with Scottish Graphical Association to form SOGAT 75

This union absorbed the Manchester Printers & Stationers Cutters Union in 1901 and the National Bookfolders & Kindred Trades Union in 1903 and the Dublin Paper Cutters Society in 1904.

The National Union of Paper Mill Workers (NUPMW) founded in 1890 merged with the above in 1914 to form the National Union of Print and Paper Workers.

The National Platen Printing Machine Minders & Process Provers Society was formed in 1890 changed to Platen Printing Machine Minders Society and merged with the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding Machine Ruling & Paper Workers in 1924.

The Male Relief Stampers Society merged with the NUPPW in1919. In 1835 the Bookbinders Consolidated Relief Fund was founded which developed into the Bookbinders Consolidated Union, the title of the union changed to Bookbinders & Machine Rulers Consolidated Union in 1872, this union absorbed some local London Societies and became the National Union of Bookbinders & Machine Rulers in 1911.

In 1921 the National Union of Bookbinders & Machine Rulers and the National Union of Printing of Printing & Paper Workers merged to form the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding, Machine Ruling & Paper Workers.

The London Union of Pressmen was formed in 1834 and split into two Societies in 1875, the London Union of Pressmen (amalgamated) and the old Society. In 1891 the old Society renamed itself the Amalgamated Association of Pressmen and joined the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding, Machine Ruling & Paper Workers.

The London Society of Machine Rulers was formed in 1873 and merged with the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding Machine Ruling & Paper Workers.

In 1928 the NUPBWR&PW changed its name to the National Union of Printing Bookbinding & Paper Workers.

The Original Society of Papermakers was founded in 1800, in 1854 the United Brotherhood of Papermakers (UPB) was formed as a breakaway, the UPB split in 1869 into the United Brotherhood of Papermakers, and the Modern Society of Papermakers, reunited as the Amalgamated Society of Papermakers in 1894

In 1937 the Amalgamated Society of Papermakers merged with the NUPB&PW.

The Amalgamated Typefounders Trade Society was founded in 1889, it became the Monotype Casters & Typefounders Society in 1937 and merged in 1962 with the NUPB&PW.

SOGAT officially became SOGAT 75 following the amalgamation with the Scottish Graphical Association.

In 1982 SOGAT 75 and NATSOPA finally merged to become SOGAT 82

In 1991 they merged with the NGA to form the GPMU.

The National Graphical Association 1964 1991

Formed by the merger of two long term rivals, the Typographical Association, and the London Typographical Society, and joined by many other print unions.

some examples

The Provincial Typographical Association established in 1849 dropped Provincial from its title to become the Typographical Association.

The Original Society of Papermakers merged with the NUPB&PW in 1948.

The National Union of Press Telegraphists founded in 1909 merged with the NGA in 1965

The London Association of Correctors of the Press dropped London from its title in 1905 and merged with the NGA in 1965.

The Federated Society of Electrotyper’s & Stereotypers renamed the National Society of Electrotypers, Strereotypers and Assistants merged with the NGA in 1967.

The Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers & Process Workers SLADE &PW 1885 1982

The United Society of Engravers merged with them in 1972, who amalgamated with the NGA in 1982 to form NGA (82).

The Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Printers & Auxiliaries formed in 1880 merged with the NGA, as did the Amalgamated Society of Machine Paper Strainers & Colour mixers’, Wallpaper Workers Union, Stamp Cutters Society and the National Union of Wallcoverings, Decorative & Allied Trades merged with the NGA in 1979.

The NGA merged with SOGAT in 1991 to form the GPMU.

Formed from the merger of SOGAT and the NGA who in turn merged with AMICUS, who in turn merged with UNITE.

We welcome any additional badges, not shown, that you may have, so we can share.

Graphical Paper and Media Union 1991-

National Graphical Association (82)

Amicus the union

Graphical Paper and Media Sector

2007-2013 Unite the union Graphical Paper and Media Sector

2013- Unite the union

Graphical Paper Media and Information Technology Sector

Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (82)

National Union of Journalists

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Not with standing the Wapping dispute in 1986/7, which we hope to illustrate in a future newsletter, the NUJ were involved in a number of disputes not least the 1989 Pergamon Press, and the Morning Star dispute in 1998.

In 1989 Journalists working for Robert Maxwells Pergamon Press tried to organise with the NUJ journalists.

The company rejected recognition of the Union claiming that it only represented a small number of workers at the company, the NUJ already represented 60% of the Journalists working there. In response to the company refusing recognition the Journalists held a legal one day strike.

The sacked members picketed the workplace for three years Maxwell offered the 23 £3500 each as a payoff, this was rejected, and they continued the picket.

In 1991 Maxwell sold Pergamon Press to a Dutch company but they also refused to take the 23 back, even after pressure from the Dutch Trade Unions.

The dispute was settled in 1992 and a plaque was placed near the Pergamon workplace which says “At this site, between May 1989 and September 1992 23 members of the NUJ mounted a continuous and united picket in defence of Trade Union rights at Maxwells Pergamon Press, “His Empire collapsed, the Union lives on”

To mark the 10th Anniversary of the strike a party was held in a function room at Headington Hill Hall, which was the living room of Maxwells former house.

general Secretary of the Communists Party, the party, linked to the Morning Star, Rosser’s son in law Paul Corry was deputy and news editor at the Star.

In !998 Haylett was suspended for alleged gross misconduct, charges not put to him to defend and not within the agreed disciplinary policy agreed with the NUJ Chapel.

Former Labour MP and self declared “Socialist” Maxwell called the Journalists lemmings and sacked 23 of them.

And in 1998 the NUJ went on strike for 6 weeks at the Morning Star.

John Haylett had been appointed editor of the paper in 1995 but was opposed by the Peoples Press Printing Society (PPPS) chief executive Mary Rosser, the wife of former

The members of the chapel voted for indefinite strike action, and produced their own newspaper “Workers Morning Star”

After 6 weeks and with ACAS involvement, Haylett was reinstated, and the Management Committee was replaced.