Albert Edward Griffiths (21 May 1908 – 13 February 1970)''England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007'' was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and Employee ben ...

. Born in

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunian ...

, Griffiths left school when he was fourteen and began working as a railway engine cleaner. He became a fireman in 1936, and then a driver in 1947. He was a member of the

Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) is a British trade union representing train drivers. It is part of the International Transport Workers' Federation and the European Transport Workers' Federation. At the end of ...

(ASLEF) for many years, and in 1956 became the union's full-time Irish Officer. In 1958, Griffiths progressed to become ASLEF's organising secretary, and then the following year was chosen as its assistant general secretary. In 1964, he was elected as the general secretary of ASLEF, and with his increased prominence was also elected to the

General Council of the Trades Union Congress The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trade Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

, also serving on the

National Board for Prices and Incomes The National Board for Prices and Incomes was created by the government of Harold Wilson in 1965 in an attempt to solve the problem of inflation in the British economy by managing wages and prices. The board's chairman was Aubrey Jones, formerl ...

. Under Griffith's leadership, the union led a

go slow A slowdown ( UK: go-slow) is an industrial action in which employees perform their duties but seek to reduce productivity or efficiency in their performance of these duties. A slowdown may be used as either a prelude or an alternative to a strik ...

on the railways in 1967.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffiths, Albert 1908 births 1970 deaths Trade unionists from the West Midlands General secretaries of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress People from Wolverhampton