Knowledge (XXG)

Electrical Trades Union (United Kingdom)

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was elected unopposed. He raised concerns that the union was unable to meet its commitments to out-of-work benefits to members. This became an immediate problem with a downturn in trade the following year; union membership peaked at 1,183 that year but then began to fall. The executive decided to
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was elected as a full-time general secretary, in a final attempt to turn its fortunes around. He undertook a tour of the UK, attempting to form new branches and strengthen existing ones. While this produced mixed results, membership began to recover, and a successful strike in Bolton in 1899, and
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in 1906. Ewer's time in office was marked by conflict between the London-based executive and the provincial branches, culminating in a vote in 1907 to move the head office to Manchester. He disappeared in May 1907, and was later found to have emigrated to Australia without informing his wife or
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in 1900 further improved his reputation. However, the following year, he too was found to have embezzled union funds, leading to his imprisonment for six months. On release, he tried to set up a breakaway union, the Electrical Wiremen's Union, but this failed to grow and was disbanded in 1903.
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institute a levy of three pennies per member per week in order to make up a shortfall, but this just led to more members leaving, and membership fell to only 402 in 1894. Walker was forced to resign after stealing union funds, and Steadman replaced him on a temporary basis.
174:. After failed negotiations, the union began a strike, but this collapsed after five weeks. The remaining strikers were sacked, although the union helped them find them work elsewhere. In response, the union decided to appoint its first full-time general secretary; 245:(CPGB) became prominent in the union under his leadership; by the 1950s, both General Secretary and General President were CPGB members. The ETU was known to have enjoyed close contacts with the London branch of the Caribbean Labour Congress led by communist activist 214:, the union's national organiser, was elected as Ewer's replacement, and he ultimately served until 1941. He and oversaw rapid growth in the union; from 1,500 members in 1907, it grew to more than 80,000 on his retirement. 304: 1392: 736: 114: 1382: 711: 1387: 1412: 1377: 199: 656: 631: 491: 409: 230: 681: 229:
was appointed as an assistant general secretary of the union in 1920, and transformed its finances, making the reputation which led to his later appointment as
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In the spring of 1961, there were allegations that ETU ballots were being rigged by communists. In June 1961, the ETU was taken to court by
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Billy Strachan 1921–1988 RAF Officer, Communist, Civil Rights Pioneer, Legal Administrator, Internationalist and Above All Caribbean Man
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Steadman was unable to solve the union's problems, and membership reached an all-time low of 236 members at the end of 1895.
979: 915: 175: 221:, but this was not approved. The early 1920s proved a difficult time for the union, and Rowan negotiated a merger with the 218: 1021: 880: 853: 821: 1132: 110: 160: 840: 706: 601: 546: 434: 377: 345: 155:-based union formed in 1868, and the Amalgamated Society of Telegraph and Telephone Construction Men, based in 267:, Frank Chapple became the union's leader in 1966. Unusually for a union leader at the time, Chapple espoused 188: 300: 106: 260:, arguing that members of the CPGB had been part of a "conspiracy to defraud" in internal elections. 170:
office was known for poor working conditions and, in 1891, an ETU branch was formed there, led by
163:. Its first part-time secretary, elected at the inaugural conference in 1890, was Dick Steadman. 37: 1339: 1320: 1295: 1272: 1253: 1214: 1170: 1136: 1090: 316: 276: 275:; his former union - the ETU had been run by communists. He was a "reluctant loyalist" to the 118: 17: 288: 246: 226: 151:
The union was founded in 1889 with the merger of the Union of Electrical Operatives, a
135: 92: 1371: 1234:"List of Parliamentary Labour candidates and election results, February 23rd, 1950". 1027: 1015: 966: 942: 284: 280: 257: 954: 924: 183: 1126: 936: 930: 268: 211: 195: 171: 131: 138:, much of its membership consisting of wiring fitters and telephone engineers. 1033: 960: 253: 156: 74: 1140: 1166: 272: 159:. Initially, the union had 570 members, most of whom were employees of the 241:
Rowan was known for his anti-communism but, despite this, members of the
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Report of the Fifty-Eighth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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Report of the Fifty-Fourth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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Report of the Sixty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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Report of the Sixty-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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Report of the Forty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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Report of the Forty-Fifth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
1191:"Trade Unions in Crisis: the 1961 ETU Ballot-Rigging Scandal" 305:
Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
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Report of the Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Labour Party
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In 1918, the union balloted its members on joining the new
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was elected as Sims' replacement, and the union joined the
102: 84: 70: 62: 54: 44: 1163:British Conservatism and Trade Unionism, 1945-1964 1087:Light & liberty : a history of the EETPU 200:Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades 287:of state-owned industries and membership of the 225:, but this too was rejected by the membership. 319:candidates in several Parliamentary elections. 231:General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress 8: 1393:1968 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 1363:Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick 1060:Historical Directory of British Trade Unions 203:friends, having stolen £144 of union funds. 30: 271:thinking, and he aimed to rid his union of 1383:Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 321: 36: 29: 1388:1889 establishments in the United Kingdom 1413:Trade unions based in Greater Manchester 1378:Electrical Trades Union (United Kingdom) 1335: 1333: 1316: 1314: 1312: 1310: 1308: 1291: 1289: 1287: 1285: 1268: 1266: 27:Former trade union of the United Kingdom 1249: 1247: 1245: 1229: 1227: 1080: 1078: 1076: 1074: 1072: 1070: 1068: 1054: 1052: 1050: 1048: 1044: 263:After its leader Jock Byrne suffered a 299:In July 1968, the ETU merged with the 7: 223:Transport and General Workers' Union 1403:Trade unions disestablished in 1968 1089:. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 25: 279:. The union went on to advocate 166:The National Telephone Company's 134:representing electricians in the 1398:Trade unions established in 1889 1058:Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, 243:Communist Party of Great Britain 1: 1359:Catalogue of the ETU archives 219:Amalgamated Engineering Union 920:1894: Dick Steadman (acting) 237:Communism and anti-communism 18:Electrical Trades Union (UK) 1133:Caribbean Labour Solidarity 1110:Jefferys, James B. (1970). 1429: 1408:Electricians' trade unions 1112:The Story of the Engineers 161:National Telephone Company 839: 705: 600: 545: 433: 376: 187:an agreement signed with 35: 737:Caithness and Sutherland 1125:Horsley, David (2019). 128:Electrical Trades Union 31:Electrical Trades Union 1195:British Online Archive 712:Brentford and Chiswick 189:Sheffield Town Council 999:1901: Fred O'donoghue 841:1966 general election 707:1964 general election 602:1959 general election 547:1955 general election 435:1951 general election 378:1950 general election 346:1945 general election 301:Plumbing Trades Union 1161:Peter Dorey (2009). 1085:Lloyd, John (1990). 315:The union sponsored 1005:1906: George Dibdin 984:1891: Thomas Cannon 911:1890: Dick Steadman 906:General Secretaries 32: 973:General Presidents 657:East Aberdeenshire 632:Croydon North West 492:Heywood and Royton 410:Heywood and Royton 207:Growth under Rowan 1062:, vol.2, pp.33-34 1002:1904: Jack Pearce 996:1899: Bill Gooday 987:1894: G. Montague 898: 897: 124: 123: 16:(Redirected from 1420: 1347: 1337: 1328: 1318: 1303: 1293: 1280: 1270: 1261: 1251: 1240: 1239: 1238:: 179–198. 1950. 1231: 1222: 1212: 1206: 1205: 1203: 1201: 1187: 1181: 1180: 1158: 1152: 1151: 1149: 1147: 1122: 1116: 1115: 1107: 1101: 1100: 1082: 1063: 1056: 993:1898: Joe Pearce 885: 884: 883: 858: 857: 856: 826: 825: 824: 799: 798: 797: 772: 771: 770: 747: 746: 745: 722: 721: 720: 692: 691: 690: 689:George McCartney 682:Liverpool Walton 667: 666: 665: 642: 641: 640: 617: 616: 615: 587: 586: 585: 562: 561: 560: 532: 531: 530: 517:1955 by-election 502: 501: 500: 477: 476: 475: 450: 449: 448: 420: 419: 418: 395: 394: 393: 363: 362: 361: 322: 311:Election results 95: 45:Merged into 40: 33: 21: 1428: 1427: 1423: 1422: 1421: 1419: 1418: 1417: 1368: 1367: 1355: 1350: 1338: 1331: 1319: 1306: 1294: 1283: 1271: 1264: 1252: 1243: 1233: 1232: 1225: 1213: 1209: 1199: 1197: 1189: 1188: 1184: 1177: 1169:. p. 121. 1160: 1159: 1155: 1145: 1143: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1109: 1108: 1104: 1097: 1084: 1083: 1066: 1057: 1046: 1042: 1011:1908: Jack Ball 1008:1907: S. Morris 975: 908: 903: 881:Walter Harrison 879: 878: 877: 852: 851: 850: 822:Walter Harrison 820: 819: 818: 793: 792: 791: 768: 767: 766: 743: 742: 741: 718: 717: 716: 688: 687: 686: 663: 662: 661: 638: 637: 636: 613: 612: 611: 583: 582: 581: 577:Edinburgh North 558: 557: 556: 528: 527: 526: 522:Edinburgh North 498: 497: 496: 471: 470: 469: 446: 445: 444: 416: 415: 414: 389: 388: 387: 357: 356: 355: 313: 297: 239: 209: 149: 144: 98: 91: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1426: 1424: 1416: 1415: 1410: 1405: 1400: 1395: 1390: 1385: 1380: 1370: 1369: 1366: 1365: 1361:, held at the 1354: 1353:External links 1351: 1349: 1348: 1329: 1304: 1281: 1262: 1241: 1223: 1207: 1182: 1175: 1153: 1135:. p. 21. 1117: 1102: 1095: 1064: 1043: 1041: 1038: 1037: 1036: 1030: 1024: 1018: 1012: 1009: 1006: 1003: 1000: 997: 994: 991: 988: 985: 982: 974: 971: 970: 969: 963: 957: 951: 949:Walter Stevens 945: 939: 933: 927: 921: 918: 912: 907: 904: 902: 901:Office holders 899: 896: 895: 892: 889: 886: 875: 869: 868: 865: 862: 859: 848: 843: 837: 836: 833: 830: 827: 816: 810: 809: 806: 803: 800: 795:David Stoddart 789: 783: 782: 779: 776: 773: 764: 758: 757: 754: 751: 748: 739: 733: 732: 729: 726: 723: 719:David Chalkley 714: 709: 703: 702: 699: 696: 693: 684: 678: 677: 674: 671: 668: 659: 653: 652: 649: 646: 643: 639:David Chalkley 634: 628: 627: 624: 621: 618: 614:James Finnigan 609: 604: 598: 597: 594: 591: 588: 579: 573: 572: 569: 566: 563: 559:James Finnigan 554: 549: 543: 542: 539: 536: 533: 524: 519: 513: 512: 509: 506: 503: 499:Charles Hurley 494: 488: 487: 484: 481: 478: 467: 461: 460: 457: 454: 451: 447:James Finnigan 442: 437: 431: 430: 427: 424: 421: 417:Charles Hurley 412: 406: 405: 402: 399: 396: 385: 380: 374: 373: 370: 367: 364: 353: 348: 342: 341: 338: 335: 332: 329: 326: 312: 309: 296: 293: 289:European Union 247:Billy Strachan 238: 235: 227:Walter Citrine 208: 205: 148: 145: 143: 140: 136:United Kingdom 122: 121: 104: 100: 99: 97: 96: 93:United Kingdom 88: 86: 82: 81: 72: 68: 67: 64: 60: 59: 56: 52: 51: 46: 42: 41: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1425: 1414: 1411: 1409: 1406: 1404: 1401: 1399: 1396: 1394: 1391: 1389: 1386: 1384: 1381: 1379: 1376: 1375: 1373: 1364: 1360: 1357: 1356: 1352: 1345: 1341: 1336: 1334: 1330: 1326: 1322: 1317: 1315: 1313: 1311: 1309: 1305: 1301: 1297: 1292: 1290: 1288: 1286: 1282: 1278: 1274: 1269: 1267: 1263: 1259: 1255: 1250: 1248: 1246: 1242: 1237: 1230: 1228: 1224: 1220: 1216: 1211: 1208: 1196: 1192: 1186: 1183: 1178: 1176:9780754666592 1172: 1168: 1164: 1157: 1154: 1142: 1138: 1134: 1130: 1129: 1121: 1118: 1113: 1106: 1103: 1098: 1096:0-297-79662-3 1092: 1088: 1081: 1079: 1077: 1075: 1073: 1071: 1069: 1065: 1061: 1055: 1053: 1051: 1049: 1045: 1039: 1035: 1031: 1029: 1028:Frank Foulkes 1025: 1023: 1019: 1017: 1016:Ernest Bussey 1013: 1010: 1007: 1004: 1001: 998: 995: 992: 990:1896: J. Hart 989: 986: 983: 981: 980:Arthur Walker 977: 976: 972: 968: 967:Frank Chapple 964: 962: 958: 956: 952: 950: 946: 944: 943:Ernest Bussey 940: 938: 934: 932: 928: 926: 922: 919: 917: 916:Arthur Walker 913: 910: 909: 905: 900: 893: 890: 887: 882: 876: 874: 871: 870: 866: 863: 860: 855: 849: 847: 844: 842: 838: 834: 831: 828: 823: 817: 815: 812: 811: 807: 804: 801: 796: 790: 788: 785: 784: 780: 777: 774: 769:Robert Mellor 765: 763: 760: 759: 755: 752: 749: 744:John Urquhart 740: 738: 735: 734: 730: 727: 724: 715: 713: 710: 708: 704: 700: 697: 694: 685: 683: 680: 679: 675: 672: 669: 664:John Urquhart 660: 658: 655: 654: 650: 647: 644: 635: 633: 630: 629: 625: 622: 619: 610: 608: 605: 603: 599: 595: 592: 589: 580: 578: 575: 574: 570: 567: 564: 555: 553: 550: 548: 544: 540: 537: 534: 525: 523: 520: 518: 515: 514: 510: 507: 504: 495: 493: 490: 489: 485: 482: 479: 474: 468: 466: 463: 462: 458: 455: 452: 443: 441: 438: 436: 432: 428: 425: 422: 413: 411: 408: 407: 403: 400: 397: 392: 386: 384: 381: 379: 375: 371: 368: 365: 360: 354: 352: 349: 347: 344: 343: 339: 336: 333: 330: 327: 324: 323: 320: 318: 310: 308: 306: 302: 294: 292: 290: 286: 285:privatisation 282: 281:nuclear power 278: 274: 270: 266: 261: 259: 258:Frank Chapple 255: 250: 248: 244: 236: 234: 232: 228: 224: 220: 215: 213: 206: 204: 201: 197: 193: 190: 185: 180: 177: 176:Arthur Walker 173: 169: 164: 162: 158: 154: 147:Early history 146: 141: 139: 137: 133: 129: 120: 116: 112: 108: 105: 101: 94: 90: 89: 87: 83: 80: 76: 73: 69: 65: 61: 57: 53: 50: 47: 43: 39: 34: 19: 1346:, pp.308-330 1343: 1340:Labour Party 1327:, pp.158-180 1324: 1321:Labour Party 1302:, pp.179-201 1299: 1296:Labour Party 1279:, pp.255-275 1276: 1273:Labour Party 1260:, pp.184-203 1257: 1254:Labour Party 1235: 1221:, pp.232-248 1218: 1215:Labour Party 1210: 1198:. Retrieved 1194: 1185: 1162: 1156: 1144:. Retrieved 1127: 1120: 1111: 1105: 1086: 1059: 955:Frank Haxell 925:Francis Sims 584:George Scott 529:George Scott 328:Constituency 317:Labour Party 314: 303:to form the 298: 277:Labour Party 262: 251: 240: 216: 210: 194: 184:Francis Sims 181: 165: 150: 130:(ETU) was a 127: 125: 103:Affiliations 71:Headquarters 1022:Hugh Bolton 937:James Rowan 931:Alfred Ewer 473:Thomas Cook 465:Dundee East 391:Thomas Cook 383:Dundee East 359:Thomas Cook 269:free-market 212:Jimmy Rowan 196:Alfred Ewer 172:Alfred Ewer 132:trade union 1372:Categories 1131:. London: 1040:References 1034:Les Cannon 961:Jock Byrne 607:Bridgwater 552:Cheltenham 440:Cheltenham 337:Percentage 273:communists 254:Jock Byrne 157:Manchester 75:Manchester 1167:Routledge 1141:2055-7035 873:Wakefield 814:Wakefield 340:Position 331:Candidate 66:July 1968 63:Dissolved 325:Election 168:Brighton 85:Location 854:Tom Cox 787:Newbury 762:Carlton 142:History 79:England 55:Founded 1200:25 May 1173:  1139:  1093:  1032:1962: 1026:1945: 1020:1941: 1014:1931: 978:1890: 965:1966: 959:1961: 953:1955: 947:1948: 941:1941: 935:1907: 929:1900: 923:1895: 914:1891: 888:28,907 861:20,259 846:Stroud 829:26,315 802:18,943 775:21,546 725:13,475 695:20,254 670:10,980 645:14,658 620:14,706 590:12,664 565:16,638 505:24,083 480:26,668 453:17,777 423:21,482 398:26,005 366:48,804 351:Dundee 295:Merger 265:stroke 153:London 119:Labour 1146:8 May 750:6,619 535:7,799 334:Votes 49:EETPU 1202:2024 1171:ISBN 1148:2023 1137:ISSN 1091:ISBN 891:65.4 864:40.1 832:55.5 805:34.4 778:36.2 753:30.2 728:44.3 698:45.5 673:36.6 648:32.0 623:32.3 593:38.3 568:40.7 538:40.6 508:46.1 483:53.8 456:42.9 426:40.2 401:53.3 369:28.6 256:and 126:The 115:CSEU 111:ITUC 58:1889 291:. 107:TUC 1374:: 1342:, 1332:^ 1323:, 1307:^ 1298:, 1284:^ 1275:, 1265:^ 1256:, 1244:^ 1226:^ 1217:, 1193:. 1165:. 1067:^ 1047:^ 894:1 867:2 835:1 808:2 781:2 756:2 731:2 701:2 676:2 651:2 626:2 596:2 571:2 541:2 511:2 486:1 459:2 429:2 404:1 372:1 307:. 283:, 249:. 233:. 117:, 113:, 109:, 77:, 1204:. 1179:. 1150:. 1099:. 20:)

Index

Electrical Trades Union (UK)

EETPU
Manchester
England
United Kingdom
TUC
ITUC
CSEU
Labour
trade union
United Kingdom
London
Manchester
National Telephone Company
Brighton
Alfred Ewer
Arthur Walker
Francis Sims
Sheffield Town Council
Alfred Ewer
Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades
Jimmy Rowan
Amalgamated Engineering Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
Walter Citrine
General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
Communist Party of Great Britain
Billy Strachan
Jock Byrne

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