James Gilroy Baty (1 February 1896''

1939 England and Wales Register The National Registration Act 1939 was an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. The initial National Registration Bill was introduced to Parliament as an emergency measure at the start of the World War II, Second World War. The Act provided ...

'' – 5 April 1959) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

trade unionist 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 Employee ben ...

. Born in

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is als ...

, he began working on the railways, and joined the

Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) is a British trade union representing train drivers. It is part of the International Transport Workers' Federation and the European Transport Workers' Federation. At the end of ...

(ASLEF) in 1896. He devoted much of his time to trade unionism, being active on the

trades council A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area. Most commonly, they represent unions in a given geographical area, whether at the district, city, region, or provincial or ...

, serving on ASLEF's executive committee from 1928, and as its president in 1934.

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...

, "Obituary: J. G. Baty", ''Annual Report of the 1959 Trades Union Congress'', p.319 In 1937, Baty began working full-time for ASLEF, as its organiser for the

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

area, where he again became active on the Bristol Trades and Labour Council. In 1946, he became acting assistant general secretary of the union then, the following year, was elected as general secretary. While leader, Baty served on the

General Council of the Trades Union Congress The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trade Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

(TUC), and was the TUC's representative to the American Federation of Labour in 1954. He was also prominent in the

International Transport Workers' Federation The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is a democratic global union federation of transport workers' trade unions, founded in 1896. In 2017 the ITF had 677 member organizations in 149 countries, representing a combined membership ...

, sitting on its general council and management committee. In 1952, he declined the offer of the

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

award. Baty retired from union office in January 1956 and died three years later, aged 63.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baty, Jim 1896 births 1959 deaths General secretaries of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress Trade unionists from Newcastle upon Tyne