The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) is 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 ...

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 ...

. Founded in 1847 in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

, it represents workers in the

food industry The food industry is a complex, global network of diverse businesses that supplies most of the food consumed by the world's population. The food industry today has become highly diversified, with manufacturing ranging from small, traditional, ...

History

The union dates its origin to 1847. The Manchester Friendly Association of Operative Bakers was established in 1849, and by 1854 it was led by Thomas Hodson. Under his leadership the union first expanded to represent bakers in

Salford Salford ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Greater Manchester, England, on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester city centre. Landmarks include the former Salford Town Hall, town hall, ...

, becoming the first bakers' union in England to cover a wide area, though its membership remained below 200. In 1861 Hodson led the formation of the Amalgamated Union of Operative Bakers, bringing together unions in Bristol, Cheltenham, Hanley, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Warrington and Wigan, along with his Manchester society. The new union gained prominence when its campaign for improvements in working conditions led to the Bakehouse Regulations Act 1863. In about 1870 the union relocated its headquarters to London, but the majority of its members were still in Lancashire. Other unions gradually joined, including the South Wales Federation of Journeymen Bakers in 1893. By 1891 the union had 4,000 members, nearly half of them in London.Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, pp.152-198 In 1902, the union officially affiliated to the Labour Party, which had been founded two years prior. For many years the union did not admit workers whom it considered unskilled. This led its London organiser, C. Mann, to form the rival National Union of Bakery Trade Workers in 1913. The following year the Operative Bakers agreed to accept all workers in the industry, and renamed itself as the Amalgamated Union of Operative Bakers, Confectioners and Allied Workers of Great Britain and Ireland. Mann's breakaway union was dissolved. In 1920 the union agreed to transfer its members in the milling industry to the rival Dock, Wharf and Riverside Workers' Union. The union focused its campaigns on shorter working hours, better pay and working conditions. In 1919 it led a major strike against night work, but this was unsuccessful. It recruited well in cooperative bakeries, but struggled elsewhere, until the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1935 it barred master bakers from holding office in the union. The union became more centralised in the 1950s. In 1964 it shortened its name to become the Bakers' Union. This was later lengthened to the present name.

Modern History

In July 2015 the BFAWU endorsed

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington North (UK Parliament constituency), Islington North since 1983. Now an Independent ...

's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election. In 2017 members of the BFAWU staged the first strikes at

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

in the UK. During the Labour Party leadership election in 2020 the union backed Rebecca Long-Bailey. It also backed Richard Burgon for

deputy leader A deputy leader (in Scottish English, sometimes depute leader) in the Westminster system is the second-in-command of a political party, behind the party leader. Deputy leaders often become Deputy prime minister when their parties are elected to go ...

. In November 2020 the union announced that it planned to consult its members on whether to remain affiliated to the Labour Party following the suspension of former

party leader In a governmental system, a party leader acts as the official representative of their political party, either to a legislature or to the electorate. Depending on the country, the individual colloquially referred to as the "leader" of a politica ...

. In September 2021 it announced during Labour's annual conference that it would disaffiliate from the party, citing dissatisfaction with

Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and lawyer who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 2024 and as Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He previously ...

's leadership. In 2023, the Solidarity Across Land Trades union (SALT) became an affiliate of the BFAWU.

Solidarity Across Land Trades

Solidarity Across Land Trades (SALT) is a trade union representing land-based workers such as those working in agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, forestry, and conservation. The union has been affiliated to the BFAWU since 2023. In 2025, SALT and the BFAWU published a report on the conditions of those working in

agroecology Agroecology is an academic discipline that studies ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Bringing ecological principles to bear can suggest new management approaches in agroecosystems. The term can refer to a science, ...

Leadership

General secretaries

:1864: Thomas Hodson :1883: John Jenkins :1915: John William Banfield :1940: Joseph Thomasson :1952: Jock Halliday :1968: Stanley Gretton :1975: Sam Maddox :1979: Joe Marino :2010: Ronnie Draper :2020: Sarah Woolley

Presidents

:1910: A. F. Bentley :1914: J. H. Brown :1926: T. Ferris :1927: H. Keen :1946: Ernest Haynes :1969: Chris Childs :1977: Terry O'Neill :1995: Dennis Nash :c.2000: Ronnie Draper :2010: Ian Hodson

Election results

The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in several Parliamentary elections, winning twice. Labour Party, ''Report of the Twenty-second Annual Conference of the Labour Party'', pp.255-272

References

External links

* {{Authority control 1847 establishments in the United Kingdom Baking industry Food industry British food and drink organisations Bakers' and confectioners' trade unions Food processing trade unions Agriculture and forestry trade unions in the United Kingdom Trade unions based in Hertfordshire Organizations established in 1847 Trade unions established in the 1840s Trade unions in the United Kingdom Trade unions affiliated with the Trades Union Congress Trade unions affiliated with the Scottish Trades Union Congress