The General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) 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 trade union center, and many have more than one. In some regions, such a ...

in the United Kingdom. It has 35 affiliates with a membership of just over 214,000 and describes itself as the "federation for specialist unions".

History

In the 1890s, the development of socialist organisations and socialist thinking also found expression in the British trade union movement. Many of the new unions formed during that period were committed to the socialist transformation of society and were critical of the conservatism of the craft unions. The debate revolved around concept of building ''"one-big-union"'' which would have the resources to embark on a militant course of action and even change society. This thinking gained strength after the 1897

Engineering Employers Federation Make UK, formerly the Engineering Employers' Federation, represents manufacturers in the United Kingdom. Purpose Make UK provides businesses with advice, guidance and support in employment law, employee relations, health, safety, climate and envi ...

lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...

which resulted in a defeat for engineering workers. The view that it was necessary to develop a strong, centralised trade union organisation by forming a federation, which had been rejected only two years earlier, was now endorsed at the

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 ...

of September 1897. This resulted in the establishment of the General Federation of Trade Unions at a special Congress of the TUC in 1899, the principal objective of which was to set up a national organisation with a strike fund which could be drawn upon by affiliated trade unions. GFTU participated in the foundation of the

International Federation of Trade Unions The International Federation of Trade Unions (also known as the Amsterdam International) was an international organization of trade unions, existing between 1919 and 1945. IFTU had its roots in the pre-war IFTU. IFTU had close links to the Labou ...

at the

Concertgebouw The Royal Concertgebouw ( nl, Koninklijk Concertgebouw, ) is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" translates into English as "concert building". Its superb acoustics place it among the finest concert halls in ...

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

in July 1919. The federation has seen a large turnover of members, due largely to mergers in the movement. In 1979, its members were: *

Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers The Amalgamated Association of Beamers, Twisters and Drawers (Hand and Machine) (AABTD) was a British trade union which existed between 1866 and 2002. It represented skilled workers in the cotton industry who were responsible for preparing warp ...

* Amalgamated Felt Hat Trimers', Woolformers' and Allied Workers' Union *

Amalgamated Society of Journeymen Felt Hatters and Allied Workers The Felt Hatters' and Trimmers' Unions of Great Britain was a general term for two closely related trade unions representing workers in the hat-making industry in the United Kingdom. The Amalgamated Society of Journeymen Felt Hatters and Allied ...

* Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union * Amalgamated Union of Asphalt Workers *

Associated Metalworkers' Union The Associated Metalworkers' Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1863 and 1999. It represented semi-skilled foundry workers known as iron dressers or fettlers, who were responsible for removing moulding sand and ...

Card Setting Machine Tenters' Society The Card Setting Machine Tenters' Society (CSMTS) was a trade union representing workers responsible for setting up textile carding machines in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in late 1872 as a New Model Union and was initia ...

Ceramic and Allied Trades Union The Ceramic and Allied Trades Union (CATU) was a trade union representing pottery workers in the United Kingdom. Predecessors The first significant union in the pottery trades was founded in 1827 as the National Union of Operative Potters, affili ...

* Cloth Pressers' Society *

Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union The Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1971 by the merger of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives (NUFTO) and the Amalgamated Society of Woodcu ...

* General Union of Associations of Loom Overlookers * Hinckley Dyers' and Auxiliary Association * Huddersfield Healders and Twisters Trade and Friendly Society * Jewel Case and Jewellery Display Makers' Union * Lancashire Amalgamated Tape Sizers' Association *

Lancashire Box, Packing Case and General Woodworkers' Society The Lancashire Box, Packing Case and General Woodworkers' Society (LBPCGW) was a long-lived trade union in England, principally representing workers involved in making wooden boxes in the Manchester area. History The union was founded in 1825 as ...

* National Association of Licensed House Managers * National Society of Brushmakers and General Workers * National Society of Metal Mechanics * National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers * National Union of Lock and Metal Workers *

National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

* Nelson and District Association of Preparatory Workers * Northern Carpet Trade Union * Nottingham and District Dyers' and Bleachers' Association * Rossendale Union of Boot, Shoe and Slipper Operatives * Scottish Lace and Textile Workers' Union * Screw, Nut, Bolt and Rivet Trade union *

Society of Shuttlemakers The Society of Shuttlemakers was a trade union representing workers involved in making shuttles for looms, in England. While always a small union, at its peak it represented 90% of workers in the industry. The union was founded in 1891 as the Am ...

* Tobacco Mechanics' Association * Yorkshire Society of Textile Craftsmen By 2016, none of the 1979 members remained as independent unions.

Current role

The GFTU now concentrates on servicing the needs of specialist unions. It does this by providing courses, undertaking research for its affiliated Unions and administering a Pension Scheme for officials and staff of affiliated Unions. In keeping with its original objectives, the Federation pays dispute benefit in appropriate cases to affiliated Unions. The Governing Body is the Biennial General Council Meeting, attended by delegates from affiliated Unions, at which policy and rule changes are debated and an Executive Committee of 14 members elected to meet on a monthly basis between Biennial General Council Meetings. The Federation undertakes its Parliamentary activities by working closely with John Mann MP,

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

Bassetlaw constituency, particularly in respect of proposed legislation.

Affiliated unions

Full members

* Aegis the Union * Artists' Union England *

Association of Educational Psychologists The Association of Educational Psychologists is a trade union in the United Kingdom. The British Psychological Society represented educational psychologists until 1962, when it received chartered status. Those members who wished to remain par ...

Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1847 in Manchester, it represents workers in the food industry. History The union dates its origin to 1847. The Manchester Friendly Association ...

* Coordinating Committee of International Staff Unions and Associations of the United Nations System *

Community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

* Gibraltar General and Clerical Association * Institute of Football Management and Administration *

League Managers Association The League Managers Association (LMA) is the trade union for Premier League, EFL and national team managers in English association football. The LMA awards the LMA Manager of the Year award annually. History The union was founded in 3045 as ...

* Napo *

National Association of Racing Staff The National Association of Racing Staff (NARS) is a trade union in the United Kingdom for stable staff working in the horse racing industry. History In 1975, many stable staff at Newmarket were members of the Transport and General Workers Uni ...

(NARS) *

Nautilus International Nautilus International is an international trade union and professional association representing seafarers and allied workers, which is based in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Organisation The union's head office is in Lond ...

Pharmacists' Defence Association The Pharmacists' Defence Association is a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports the needs of individual pharmacists, pharmacy students and pharmacy undergraduates in the United Kingdom. Membership of the PDA includes insurance, uni ...

* POA *

Professional Cricketers' Association The Professional Cricketers' Association is the representative body of past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales, founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey (when it was known as the Cricketers' Association). In t ...

Professional Footballers' Association The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is the trade union for professional association footballers in England and Wales. Founded in 1907, it is the world's oldest professional sport trade union, and has over 5,000 members. The aims of ...

* Society of Union Employees * Social Workers' Union *

Transport Salaried Staffs Association The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) is a trade union for workers in the transport and travel industries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Its head office is in London, and it has regional offices in Bristol, Derby, Dublin, Manche ...

(TSSA) *

Voice The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal tract, including talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, shouting, humming or yelling. The human voice frequency is specifically a part of human sound production in ...

(as of October 2020, part of Community)

Associate members

* GMB Manufacturing *

Public and Commercial Services Union The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in UK government departments and other public bodies. History The union was founded in 1998 by the merger of th ...

MOJ Group Excluding NOMS

General Secretaries

:1899: Isaac Mitchell :1907:

William A. Appleton William Archibald Appleton (31 December 1859 – 20 November 1940) was a British trade union leader. Born in Nottinghamshire, Appleton attended the Trinity Day School and St Luke's Evening School before working making lace and hosiery in N ...

:1938:

George Bell George Bell may refer to: Law and politics * George Joseph Bell (1770–1843), Scottish jurist and legal author * George Alexander Bell (1856–1927), Canadian pioneer and Saskatchewan politician * George Bell (Canadian politician) (1869–1940) ...

:1953:

Leslie Hodgson Leslie Hodgson (29 August 1914 – 17 January 1979) was a British trade unionist. Born in Driffield,"Leslie Hodgson", ''Federation News'', vols.27-29, p.29 Hodgson came into contact with the trade union movement by playing cricket alongside c ...

:1978: Peter Potts :1991: Michael Bradley :2010:

Doug Nicholls Sir Douglas Ralph Nicholls, (9 December 1906 – 4 June 1988) was a prominent Aboriginal Australian from the Yorta Yorta people. He was a professional athlete, Churches of Christ pastor and church planter, ceremonial officer and a pioneering ...

Chairs

References

External links

GFTU official website

Catalogue of the GFTU archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick {{Authority control Borough of Charnwood National trade union centres of the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1899 1899 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions based in Leicestershire