Belfast Trades Council, also known as Belfast & District Trades Union Council, brings together trade unionists in and around

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

History

The council was founded on 29 October 1881 at a meeting of eleven trade unionists. Their immediate aim was to support an ongoing strike of linen tenters, who were facing a 10% cut in their wages. It was the second

trades council A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area. Most commonly, they represent unions in a given geographical area, whether at the district, city, region, or provincial or ...

to be established in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, after the Cork Workers' Council.Peter Collins, "The Belfast Labour Movement, 1881-1921", ''Nordirland in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', pp.82-98 In its early years, the council was dominated by its president, Samuel Munro, and secretary

Alexander Bowman Alexander or Alex Bowman is the name of: *Alexander Bowman (Australian politician) (1838–1892) *Alexander Bowman (Irish politician) (1854–1924) *Alexander Hamilton Bowman (1803–1865), American engineer *Alex Bowman (born 1993), American race ...

. Most of its affiliates were small, local unions representing skilled workers. It affiliated to the British

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...

in 1882, but achieved little and struggled to survive during the 1880s. It was boosted by affiliations from new unions of unskilled workers during the 1890s. However, their representatives were more radical, and

William Walker William Walker may refer to: Arts * William Walker (engraver) (1791–1867), mezzotint engraver of portrait of Robert Burns * William Sidney Walker (1795–1846), English Shakespearean critic * William Walker (composer) (1809–1875), American Ba ...

and John Murphy became prominent, persuading the council to affiliate to the British Labour Representation Committee and run a joint newspaper, the ''Belfast Labour Chronicle'', with their Belfast Labour Representation Committee. The council was involved in the Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) from its foundation, in 1894, although initially it favoured also retaining links with the British

(TUC). These ended the following year, when the TUC voted to exclude trades councils from direct members, and the council thereafter devoted significant time to the ITUC. By 1897, it was the largest trades council in Ireland, representing 17,500 members in 56 affiliates, and that year, it sponsored six successful candidates for the

Belfast Corporation Belfast City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste) is the local authority with responsibility for part of the city of Belfast, the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland. The Council serves an estimated population of (), the l ...

.{{cite book , last1=O'Connor , first1=Emmet , title=A Labour History of Ireland , date=1992 , publisher=Gill and Macmillan , location=Goldenbridge , isbn=0717120163 , pages=57–61 The council led opposition to conscription during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, organising a meeting of 20,000 people on the issue. It was particularly prominent during the

Belfast strike, 1919 Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

, when it described itself as a "Council of Action" and largely controlled the movement of goods in the city. During the 1930s, the council worked with the Northern Ireland Labour Party (NILP) to campaign against unemployment and for improved benefits for unemployed workers. By the 1940s, members of the

Communist Party of Northern Ireland The Communist Party of Northern Ireland was a small communist party operating in Northern Ireland. The party merged with the Irish Workers' Party in 1970 to form the reunited Communist Party of Ireland. Formation The party originated in the 194 ...

held leading roles on the council. In 1965, it organised a conference on

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life of ...

, and with various other groups, it formed the

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association ) was an organisation that campaigned for civil rights in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in Belfast on 9 April 1967,

the following year.

Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association ) was an organisation that campaigned for civil rights in Northern Ireland during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Formed in Belfast on 9 April 1967,

,
'We Shall Overcome': The History of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland 1968 - 1978
'

Secretaries

:1881:

:1886: Robert Meharg :as of 1893: Richard Sheldon :1890s: Alex Taylor :1899:

:1903: John Murphy :1909:

David Robb Campbell David Robb Campbell (1874 or 1875 – 14 January 1934), often known as Davy Campbell, was a trade unionist based in Belfast. Campbell grew up in a Protestant family in Belfast. He became a socialist, joining the Independent Labour Party (ILP) a ...

:c.1920: :c.1930: Robert Morrow :c.1945: John McAteer :1947:

Betty Sinclair Elizabeth Sinclair (3 December 1910 – 25 December 1981) was an Irish communist organiser. Early life Born as Elizabeth Margaret Sinclair at 44 Hooker Street in Ardoyne, Belfast on 3 December 1910, Betty came from a Church of Ireland family an ...

:1975: :1980s: A. Hope :1990s: Desi Murray :2000s: Kevin Doherty

Presidents

:1881: Samuel Munro :1886: John O'Clohissey :1889: W. J. Leahy :1890: John Martin :1895: Joseph Taylor :1907: W. J. Murray :1910s: H. T. Whitley :1920s: Dawson Gordon :1980s Joe Cooper/Liam McBrinn :1990s: Pearce McKenna : Brian Campfield :2010s: Paddy Mackel

History

Secretaries

Presidents

References

Further reading