The Irish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union (ISLWU) 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 workers involved in shoemaking 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 was founded on 1 January 1953, as a split from the

National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives The National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives (NUBSO) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1873 and 1971. It represented workers in the footwear industry. History The union was founded in 1873, when many riveters and ...

(NUBSO), which was based in Britain. It initially consisted of the whole 5,000 members in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

. NUBSO members in Northern Ireland did not split, but NUBSO arranged for them to be represented by ISLWU officers in the short-term; it later set up an office in

Banbridge Banbridge ( , ) is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road (Northern Ireland), A1 road and is named after a bridge built over the River Bann in 1712. It is situated in the Civil parishes in Ireland, c ...

and broke the link.{{cite book , last1=Smethurst , first1=John B. , last2=Carter , first2=Peter , title=Historical Directory of Trade Unions , date=2009 , publisher=Ashgate , location=Farnham , isbn=9780754666837 , pag
101
, url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldirect0004mars/page/101 In 1977, the ISLWU merged into the

Irish Transport and General Workers' Union The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU), was a trade union representing workers, initially mainly labourers, in Ireland. History The union was founded by James Larkin in January 1909 as a general union. Initially drawing its memb ...

References

Defunct trade unions of Ireland Footwear industry trade unions Trade unions established in 1953 Trade unions disestablished in 1977