The Amalgamated Society of Dyers, Finishers and Kindred Trades was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing dyers and workers in related jobs in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

History

The union was founded in 1878 as the Bradford and District Amalgamated Society of Dyers, Crabbers, Singers and Finishers. Initially extremely small, with only 77 members at the end of the 1870s, it won a strike in 1880, and it thereafter recruited rapidly, membership reaching 700 by 1884 and 1,801 in 1891.Arthur Marsh, Victoria Ryan and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.4, pp.400-401 From 1890 to 1891, the union led a strike at Manningham Mills. This lasted six months and became nationally prominent. Although it ended in defeat, almost all local dyers joining the union, which by 1894 was over 4,000. In 1892, it was renamed as the Amalgamated Society of Dyers, adding "Bleachers and Kindred Trades" in about 1900. It began recruiting nationally, and from 1909 also admitted women, taking membership over 10,000 by 1910. Several local unions merged into the Amalgamated Society: the Glasgow Calendermens Protective and Funeral Association in 1912, the Nottingham Dyers Association in 1922, the Amalgamated Society of Stuff and Woollen Warehousemen in 1926 and the Radcliffe and District Dyers, Bleachers and Sizers Association in 1927. In the 1920s, it added "Finishers" to its name before, in 1936, merging with the

National Union of Textile Workers The National Union of Textile Workers was a trade union representing workers in the textile industry in England, principally in Yorkshire. History The union was founded in 1922 when the General Union of Textile Workers merged with the Nationa ...

and the Operative Bleachers, Dyers and Finishers Association to form the

National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers The National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers (NUDBTW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It amalgamated with the Transport and General Workers' Union in 1982. History The union was founded in 1936 with the merger of the N ...

Election results

The union sponsored Willie Brooke as a Labour Party candidate at each general election from 1929 to 1935, twice winning a seat.

General Secretaries

:1885: William Otty :1888: Henry Robinson :1893: Joseph Hayhurst :1919: William Rushworth :1929: Edward Verity :1933: George Bagnall

References

{{Authority control Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1878 Trade unions disestablished in 1936 1878 establishments in the United Kingdom Textile and clothing trade unions Trade unions based in West Yorkshire