The Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) was a
union federation covering the island of
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
Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in England and Wales, representing the majority of trade unions. There are 48 affiliated unions, with a total of about 5.5 million members. Frances O ...
(TUC). However, many felt that they had little impact on the British body, and the
Dublin Trades Council {{Use dmy dates, date=April 2022
The Dublin Council of Trade Unions is the trades council for County Dublin in Ireland.
In 1884, 34 craft unions were involved in organising an exhibition of artisan work in Dublin. This necessitated regular meeting ...
had twice tried and failed to form an Irish federation of trade unions. Its third attempt, the Irish Trades Union Congress, met for the first time in April 1894.
Although some Irish delegates continued to attend the British TUC, their decision to bar representatives of
trades councils from 1895 increased dissatisfaction, and the ITUC soon became the leading Irish union federation. Despite this, the new federation adopted the form of the British TUC, differentiating itself primarily by offering lower subscription rates and lower costs for delegates to attend its annual congress.
In 1900, the British TUC asked the ITUC to amalgamate with it, but this request was rejected.
[Joan Campbell, ''European labor unions'', p.250]
In its early years, the ITUC was dominated by small
craft union
Craft unionism refers to a model of trade unionism in which workers are organised based on the particular craft or trade in which they work. It contrasts with industrial unionism, in which all workers in the same industry are organized into the s ...
s. The unions of carpenters were particularly important, while the printers and tailors also proved significant. Several British-based unions with Irish members also affiliated. While initially aiming to include the "land and labour" movement, this was excluded from 1898 onwards, as its organisations were not considered to be recognised trade unions or trades councils. Early issues discussed as the congress included the campaigns for an
eight-hour day, for
manhood suffrage, and for improvements to pay and conditions. Calls for
nationalisation were initially defeated, but were passed in 1898. While delegates votes in favour of establishing a political fund, to support favoured candidates, nothing came of this, although the ITUC did have strong links with
J. P. Nannetti
''J. The Jewish News of Northern California'', formerly known as ''Jweekly'', is a weekly print newspaper in Northern California, with its online edition updated daily. It is owned and operated by San Francisco Jewish Community Publications In ...
, who liaised on its behalf with the
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP; commonly called the Irish Party or the Home Rule Party) was formed in 1874 by Isaac Butt, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nation ...
.
In 1912, the ITUC established a political arm, becoming known as the Irish Labour Party and Trade Union Congress (or Irish Trade Union Congress and Labour Party). The political wing evolved into the
Labour Party. Despite the
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland ( ga, críochdheighilt na hÉireann) was the process by which the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland divided History of Ireland (1801–1923), Ireland into two self-governing polities: Northe ...
, the ITUC continued to organise throughout the island, but tensions arose between the unions based in Britain and with members in both Britain and Ireland, and the Irish-based unions. In 1936, the organisation formed a commission to examine the issue.
William O'Brien put in a proposal to form ten industrial groupings with no overlaps to negotiate on behalf of workers - in effect, this would have passed existing union activities to ten
industrial union
Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...
s. This and three other proposals were discussed at the 1939 conference, but O'Brien and his supporters walked out and formed the
Advisory Council of Irish Unions
Advisory may refer to:
* Advisory board, a body that provides advice to the management of a corporation, organization, or foundation
* Boil-water advisory, a public health directive given by government to consumers when a community's drinking wate ...
. This comprised eighteen unions based in Ireland, and accounted for about half the ITUC membership.
The Advisory Council cut ties with the ITUC in 1945 and formed the
Congress of Irish Unions.
After long negotiations, the two organisations reunited in 1959 to form 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 ...
.
Affiliates
The following unions were affiliated to the ITUC as of 1925:
[Irish Trades Union Congress, "Thirty-first Annual Report", pp.168-173]
*
Amalgamated Engineering Union
The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major British trade union. It merged with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992.
History
The history of ...
*
Amalgamated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
*
Amalgamated Society of Slaters and Tilers
{{Use British English, date=March 2022
The Amalgamated Slaters', Tilers' and Roofing Operatives' Society was a trade union representing slaters in England, Ireland and Wales.
The union originated in 1873 in Sheffield as a federation of local uni ...
*
Amalgamated Society of Tailors and Tailoresses
The Amalgamated Society of Tailors and Tailoresses (AST&T) was a trade union representing tailors in the United Kingdom.
The union was founded in 1866 when Peter Shorrocks convened a conference in Manchester of local societies of tailors. The c ...
*
Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists
The Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists (ASWM) was a trade union representing sawyers in the United Kingdom.
The union was founded in 1866 as the Birmingham and District Mill Sawyers and Planing Machine Workers' Trade Society by a group ...
*
Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
*
Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...
*
Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers
The Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers (AUBTW) was a British trade union.
History
The AUBTW was founded in 1921 when the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales, the Operative Bricklayers' Society ...
*
Ancient Guild of Incorporated Brick and Stone Layers
Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cove ...
*
Associated Blacksmiths' and Ironworkers' Society
The Associated Blacksmiths, Forge and Smithy Workers' Society (ABFSWS) was a trade union representing metalworkers in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
History
The union was founded in 1857 in Glasgow as the Scottish United Operative Blacksmiths Pr ...
*
*
Civil Service Clerical Association
*
Dublin Operative Plasterers' Trade Society
The Operative Plasterers and Allied Trades Society of Ireland (OPATSI) is a trade union representing plasterers and allied trades such as Tilers, Slaters, Metal Stud Fixers and Ceiling fixers in Ireland.
The union was founded in 1893 as the Regul ...
*
Dublin Packing Case Makers
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 cens ...
*
Dublin Typographical Provident Society {{One source, date=February 2020
The Irish Graphical Society was a trade union representing workers in the printing trades in Dublin.
The union was founded in 1809 as the Dublin Typographical Provident Society. It gradually increased in membership ...
*
Flax Roughers' and Yarn Spinners' Trade Union
*
*
Irish Clerical and Allied Workers' Union
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
*
Irish Engineering Industrial Union
*
Irish Garment Makers' Industrial Union
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
*
Irish Mental Hospital Workers' Union
*
Irish Municipal Employees' Trade Union The Irish Municipal Employees' Trade Union was a trade union representing employees of Dublin City Council in Ireland.
The union was founded in 1883 as the United Corporation Workmen of Dublin Trade Union. It joined the Irish Trades Union Congre ...
*
Irish National Teachers' Organisation
*
Irish National Union of Painters and Decorators
The Irish National Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union (INPDTU) was a trade union representing painters and decorators in Ireland.
The union originated in the 19th century as the Regular Operative House Painters' Society. In 1890, it was rena ...
*
Irish Post Office Workers' Union
The Postal and Telecommunications Workers' Union was a trade union representing communication workers in Ireland.
The union was founded in 1923 when the Irish Postal Union merged with the Irish Postal Workers' Union and the Irish Post Office Eng ...
*
Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
*
Irish Union of Distributive Workers and Clerks
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 ...
*
Irish Women Workers' Union
*
National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association
The National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association (NAFTA) was a trade union representing workers involved in making furniture in the United Kingdom.
History
The union was founded in 1902 from the merger of the Alliance Cabinet Makers' Asso ...
*
National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators
*
National Sailors' and Firemen's Union
*
National Society of Brushmakers {{short description, Former trade union of the United Kingdom
The National Society of Brushmakers and General Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom.
The union dated its establishment to 1747, when the Manchester Society of Brushmakers ...
*
National Union of Life Assurance Workers
*
National Union of Railwaymen
*
National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Gas Meter Makers of Ireland
*
National Union of Vehicle Builders
*
Railway Clerks' Association
*
Tailors' and Garment Workers' Trade Union
*
Typographical Association
*
Union of Post Office Workers
*
United Operative Plumbers and Domestic Engineers
The Plumbing Trades Union (PTU) was a trade union representing plumbers in Britain and Ireland.
History
The union was founded in 1865, when the Manchester Plumbers' Society and the Liverpool Plumbers' Society merged with small organisati ...
By 1954, the following unions held membership:
Secretaries
:1894:
John Simmons John Simmons may refer to:
Politicians
* John H. Simmons (died 1843), American politician from Maryland
*John Simmons (Oklahoma politician) (died 1940), American politician, mayor of Tulsa from 1916 to 1918
* John Simmons (Missouri politician), m ...
:1899:
Hugh McManus
Hugh may refer to:
* Hugh (given name)
Noblemen and clergy French
* Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks
* Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II
* Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...
:1900:
E. L. Richardson
:1910:
P. T. Daly
Patrick Thomas Daly (1870 – 20 November 1943), known as P. T. Daly was an Irish trade unionist and politician.
Early life
Born in Dublin, Daly completed an apprenticeship as a printer, and in 1892 he joined the Dublin Typographical Providen ...
:1918:
William O'Brien
:1920:
Thomas Johnson
:1928:
Eamonn Lynch
Eamonn Lynch was an Irish people, Irish Labour Party (Ireland), Labour Party politician, barrister and trade union official. He was the General Secretary of the Irish Trades Union Congress in 1928.
He was elected to Seanad Éireann (Irish Free ...
:1941:
Cathal O'Shannon
:1945:
Thomas Johnson
:1945:
Ruaidhri Roberts
Ruaidhri Roberts (1 January 1917 – February 1986) was an Irish trade union leader.
Born in Dublin, Roberts attended Belvedere College and University College Dublin before joining the accounts department of Bord na Móna. In 1945, he was appoi ...
Presidents
Treasurers
References
{{Authority control
1959 disestablishments in Ireland
National trade union centres of Ireland
1894 establishments in Ireland
Trade unions established in 1894
Trade unions disestablished in 1959