The International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF) was a global union federation of

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 ...

History

The secretariat was founded in August 1907, as the International Federation of General Factory Workers, but became inactive 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 ...

. It was re-established on 27 October 1920 at a conference in Amsterdam, and set up its headquarters at 17

Museumplein The Museumplein (; ) is a public space in the Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Stedelijk Museum � ...

in the city. By 1935, the federation had affiliates in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Yugoslavia. The federation held regular sectional conferences for the chemical industry. Following the collapse of the International Federation of Glass Workers, it added a glass industry section, with its first conference in 1938. Similarly, the

International Federation of Pottery Workers The International Federation of Pottery Workers (IFPW) was a global union federation. History The union was founded on the initiative of Fritz Zietsch, editor of ''Die Ameise'', the Germany pottery workers' journal. In 1905, he wrote to unions of ...

dissolved before

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and in 1947, the federation held the first conference of its new pottery industry section. In 1954, it held a conference for the rubber industry. In 1950, the federation was renamed as the International Federation of Industrial Organisations and General Workers' Unions (IFF), and then in 1964 it became the International Federation of Chemical and General Workers' Unions (ICF). At this time, the organisation was in competition with the

International Federation of Petroleum and Chemical Workers The International Federation of Petroleum and Chemical Workers (IFPCW) was a global union federation bringing together trade union representing workers in the chemical and oil industries. History The secretariat was established in 1954 at a meeting ...

, but that collapsed in 1976, with many of its affiliates joining the IFCGW, which renamed itself as the International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF). Membership accordingly rose from four million to 6.3 million by 1992.James C. Docherty and Sjaak van der Velden, ''Historical Dictionary of Organized Labor'', pp.140-141

Union of International Associations The Union of International Associations (UIA) is a non-profit non-governmental research institute and documentation center based in Brussels, Belgium, and operating under United Nations mandate. It was founded in 1907 under the name Central Offi ...

,
International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF)
In 1995, the ICEF merged with the Miners' International Federation to form the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:C. Sorrensen :1920:

Roel Stenhuis Roelof Stenhuis (26 March 1885 – 1963) was a Dutch trade union leader and politician. Born in Zuidbroek, he left school at the age of 15 and did a number of jobs before becoming a factory worker. He joined the youth movement of the Socia ...

:1929:

Klaas de Jonge Klaas de Jonge (29 June 1887 – 19 April 1958) was a Dutch trade union leader. Born in Hoogezand, de Jonge trained as a printer, then later worked in a factory. He joined the Dutch Union of Factory Workers (NVvFA), and also the Social D ...

:1950: L. M. van Waasdijk :1954:

Menzo ter Borch Menzo ter Borch (1896–1981) was a Dutch trade unionist. Born in Borger, ter Borch became a glassblower in 1908, working in Nieuw-Buinen, then Schiedam, and then in Nieuw-Buinen. His parents died in the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, and he th ...

:1964: Charles Levinson :1984: Michael Boggs :1994: Vic Thorpe

Presidents

:1920:

James O'Grady Sir James O'Grady, (6 May 1866 – 10 December 1934) was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the first colonial governor appointed by the Labour Party from within its own ranks. Early life O'Grady was b ...

:1925:

August Brey August Brey (1 August 1864 – 28 July 1937) was a German politician and trade unionist. Born in Gelnhausen, Brey completed an apprenticeship as a shoemaker, and joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in 1885. In 1890, he was a l ...

:1933: Robert Nielsen :1945:

Mark Hewitson Captain Mark Hewitson (15 December 1897 – 27 February 1973) was a British trade union official and Labour Party politician. He was chosen at the last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for nine ...

:1950: Carl F. Lindahl :1953: Jim Matthews :1964:

Wilhelm Gefeller Wilhelm Gefeller (27 May 1906 – 25 March 1983) was a German politician of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and member of the German Bundestag The Bundestag (, "Federal Diet") is the German federal parliament. It is the only federal re ...

:1970:

Karl Hauenschild Karl Hauenschild (30 August 1920 – 28 February 2006) was a German trade union leader and politician. Born in Hanover, Hauenschild left school early due to economic hardship. He refused to join the Hitler Youth, and so was barred from his pl ...

:1983:

Moss Evans Arthur Mostyn Evans (13 July 1925 – 12 January 2002) was the general secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU), then the largest general trade union in the United Kingdom, from 1978 until 1985. Biography Moss Evans was bor ...

:1986: Nils Kristoffersson :1989: Hermann Rappe

References

{{Authority control Chemical industry trade unions Energy industry trade unions Global union federations Trade unions established in 1907 Trade unions disestablished in 1995