The Federation of Rural Workers of Ireland (FRW) was a

trade union 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 benefits ( ...

representing agricultural workers 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 ...

History

Agricultural workers in Ireland had been represented by the Irish National Agricultural and General Labourers' Union, but this collapsed in 1928. Some members transferred to the

Workers' Union of Ireland The Workers' Union of Ireland (WUI), later the Federated Workers' Union of Ireland, was an Irish trade union formed in 1924. In 1990, it merged with the Irish Transport and General Workers Union to form the Services, Industrial, Professional and ...

, but most found themselves outside the union movement.{{cite book , last1=Marsh , first1=Arthur , last2=Smethurst , first2=John B. , title=Historical Directory of Trade Unions , volume=5 , date=2006 , publisher=Ashgate Publishing , location=Aldershot , isbn=085967990X , page
353, 356
, url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldirect0004mars/page/353 By 1946, the

Irish Trades Union Congress The Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) was a union federation covering the island of Ireland. History Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). However, many felt that they had little im ...

was concerned that most agricultural workers were not organised as part of the union movement. It formed the "Federation of Rural Workers of Ireland", with eligible members of the Workers' Union transferring to it. Its initial officers were also from the Workers' Union, with

James Larkin Jnr James Larkin Jnr (20 August 1904 – 18 February 1969) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade union official. He was born in Liverpool, England, the eldest of four sons of James Larkin, trade union leader, and Elizabeth Larkin (née ...

becoming president, and Sean Dunne serving as its first general secretary. Despite the broad support in the union movement, the union's initial membership was only 1,431. It grew steadily, facing much opposition from farmers who were reluctant to recognise it. By 1970, its membership reached a peak of 6,301. In 1979, the union merged into the Workers' Union, which as a result renamed itself as the "Federated Workers' Union of Ireland".

General Secretaries

:1946: Seán Dunne :1954: James Tully :1970s: Paddy Murphy

References

Defunct trade unions of Ireland Agriculture and forestry trade unions 1946 establishments in Ireland Trade unions established in 1946 Trade unions disestablished in 1979 1979 disestablishments in Ireland