The Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers' and Allied Trades Assistants (INUVGATA), also known as the Barmen's Union, 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 retail and bar staff, principally 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 ...

. The union originated in 1863 in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

as the Grocers' Assistants' Association. In 1885, it became the Grocers' and Vintners' Association of Dublin, and it later became the "Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers' and Allied Trades Assistants". The union merged into the British National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, but many of its former members wished to retain an independent Irish organisation, and split away in 1917, reforming under the old name.Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, p.120 Under the presidency of Patrick Moran,Padraig Yeates, ''A City in Civil War – Dublin 1921–1924: The Irish Civil War'' the union gained a reputation for militancy, gaining recognition following a

lock-out A lockout is a work stoppage or denial of employment initiated by the management of a company during a labour dispute. In contrast to a strike, in which employees refuse to work, a lockout is initiated by employers or industry owners. Lockouts a ...

in 1918, and striking for ten weeks over pay in 1920. The union joined 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 imp ...

in 1919, but left again in 1923. In 1945, it affiliated to the

Congress of Irish Unions The Congress of Irish Unions was a confederation of trade unions in Ireland. History Congress was one of the two governing bodies that emerged after the split in the Irish trade union body the Irish Trades Union Congress in 1945. The split develo ...

, and then transferred to its successor, the

Irish Congress of Trade Unions The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (often abbreviated to just Congress or ICTU), formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trades Union Congress (founded in 1894) and the Congress of Irish Unions (founded in 1945), is a national trade union centr ...

. Over time, the union became strongly associated with bar staff. Although the majority of its members were based in Ireland, it also had branches in London, which attracted membership from workers at Irish pubs in the city. The union merged with the

Irish Distributive and Administrative Trade Union The Irish Distributive and Administrative Union (IDATU) was a trade union representing workers in Ireland. The union was founded in 1901 as the Irish Drapers' Assistants' Association by Michael O'Lehane. O'Lehane had been working at Cannocks in ...

in 1994, forming MANDATE.

General Secretaries

:V. J. Forde :1937:

Walter Beirne Walter Herbert Beirne (4 September 1907 – 29 October 1959) was an Irish trade union leader. Born in Newbridge, County Kildare, the son of Patrick Joseph Beirne, a sergeant with the Royal Irish Constabulary, and Margaret Mary Catherine Clinch, ...

:1959: James Candon :1962: Michael Cleary :1978: P. Coffey :c.1980: Jack Cagney :1986: Aidan McCormack :1993: John Douglas

References

Defunct trade unions of Ireland Retail trade unions 1863 establishments in Ireland Trade unions established in 1863 Trade unions disestablished in 1994 1994 disestablishments in Ireland