Electrical and plumbing unions

from Symbols of Solidarity Volume 4 Number 4

National Union of Journalists

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.

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

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

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.

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

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 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.

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.

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 under subsequent branch secretaries was a thorn in the side of the national 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 uni on 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 fi ne was paid anonym ously,

Because of the lack of support fr om the national union m ost of t he branch members applied to joi n SOGAT. The TUC order ed SOGAT to retur n the members to EETPU or face expulsion. The members retur ned to EETPU, but in 1989 aft er the EEETPU had been expelled from the TUC t he m embers of the London Press Branch joined SOGAT as the Electrical Technical Services Plumbers section.