The Italian Federation of Hat Workers ( it, Federazione italiana lavoranti cappellai, FILC) was a trade union representing hatters in Italy. The union was founded in 1901, on the initiative of the

Monza Monza (, ; lmo, label=Lombard language, Lombard, Monça, locally ; lat, Modoetia) is a city and ''comune'' on the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po River, Po in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capit ...

trades council, which itself had been founded by the local hatters' union. From 1902, the union was led by

Ettore Reina Ettore Reina (27 July 1871 – 8 November 1958) was an Italian politician and trade union leader. Born in Milan, Reina was orphaned at the age of 13. He entered an orphanage, and was able to complete an apprenticeship as a compositor before ...

, a former compositor. By 1902, the union already had 5,220 members, and that year, it achieved the first in a series of collective agreements. In 1906, it became a founding affiliate of the General Confederation of Labour (CGL). The union focused not just on improving the pay and conditions of its members, but also on solidarity action in the defence of workers more generally. It affiliated to the

International Union of Hatters The International Union of Hatters was a global union federation of trade unions representing people involved in making hats. History The various unions of hatters across Europe had long collaborated on support for workers moving between countries ...

, and from 1921 hosted the international's headquarters. By 1922, its membership had reached 8,470. However, the rise of fascism in Italy led to a decline in membership, and the union was banned in 1926. After World War II, the union was revived as the Italian Federation of Hat and Allied Workers (FILCA), and it affiliated to the Italian General Confederation of Labour. The industry was in decline, and by 1954, the union's membership was only 4,087.{{cite book , last1=Mitchell , first1=James P. , title=Directory of Labor Organizations: Europe , date=1955 , publisher=United States Department of Labor , location=Washington DC , page=17.24 In 1966, the union merged into the new

Italian Federation of Textile and Garment Workers The Italian Federation of Textile and Garment Workers ( it, Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Tessili ed Abbigliamento, FILTEA) was a trade union representing workers in the textile and clothing industries in Italy. The union was founded in March ...

General Secretaries

:1902:

:1927: ''Union banned'' :1945:

:1948: Stefano Ongarelli

References

Hat makers' trade unions Trade unions established in 1901 Trade unions disestablished in 1966 Trade unions in Italy