The International Secretariat of Brewery Workers was a

global union federation A global union federation (GUF) is an international federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic tradition described as international t ...

bringing together trade unions representing workers in breweries and mills which processed grains for brewing.

History

The first international conference of brewery workers' trade unions was held in London in 1896, and it agreed to set up an office and co-ordinate some activities. However, several of the unions struggled to contribute to this effort, and no lasting international organisation was formed. The next conference of brewery workers' trade unions was in 1908, and this did form a lasting secretariat, which from 1910 was located in Berlin, led by general secretary Martin Etzel. Its affiliates had a total of 130,000 members by 1912, and by the outbreak of

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 ...

, the federation had affiliates in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States. The International Union of United Brewery Workmen of America was by far the largest affiliate, contributing around half the total membership. In 1919, the secretariat responded to an appeal by the

International Federation of Bakers, Pastry Cooks and Allied Workers' Associations The International Federation of Bakers, Pastry Cooks and Allied Workers' Associations was a global union federation bringing together trade unions representing bakery workers. History On 24 and 25 August 1907, an international congress of bakers wa ...

to attend a conference to discuss a merger. The

International Federation of Meat Workers The International Federation of Meat Workers was a global union federation bringing together unions representing butchers and abattoir workers. The German Central Union of Butchers organised the first International Conference of Meat Workers in 191 ...

also attended, and in August 1920, the brewery workers' international merged with these two organisations, to form the

International Union of Food and Drink Workers' Associations The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF) is a global union federation of trade unions with members in a variety of industries, many of which relate to food processin ...

General Secretaries

:1908: Martin Etzel :1914: Eduard Backert

References

{{Authority control Trade unions established in 1908 Trade unions disestablished in 1920 Global union federations Food processing trade unions