John Brannigan (5 January 1900 – 18 July 1959) was a Scottish trade union leader. Brannigan was born in

Cambusnethan Cambusnethan is a large village and suburb on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire in Scotland. It is approximately long, straddling both sides of the A722 on a hill overlooking Wishaw. Etymology The name "''Cambusnethan"'' was his ...

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotl ...

, to Patrick Brannigan, a steel dresser and

journeyman A journeyman, journeywoman, or journeyperson is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that fie ...

, and his wife, Helen (''née'' Lynch). He found work driving a horse-drawn van for the Lanarkshire Co-operative Society. He became active in the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association, and began working full-time for the union in 1920. Brannigan was elected as assistant general secretary of the union in 1938. In December 1943, he was elected as the union's general secretary, defeating David Johnstone, Alexander Irvine and James White Jr, winning more than 50% of the votes. While considered a good speaker and negotiator, he showed little interest in innovations, and the union stagnated under his leadership. In late 1949, Brannigan was involved in a serious motor accident while drunk. He collapsed while at the police station and was kept in hospital for four weeks. Some members of the union, including assistant general secretary David Johnstone, sought to have Branningan removed as general secretary, but Brannigan eventually won out, and Johnstone was instead suspended. Brannigan received support from other unions during this period, and served as President of the Scottish Trades Union Congress in 1952/53. However, he lost his seat on the STUC executive immediately afterwards, and was never re-elected, leaving the union as the only substantial Scottish trade union not represented on the body. By 1956, Brannigan was concerned about the union's finances. The union's executive appointed Alex Kitson appointed as a new organiser, over Brannigan's objections. He also opposed Kitson’s appointment as assistant general secretary later in the year, with a mandate to run union affairs when he was unavailable. Eventually, in 1959, he relented to the appointment of Kitson as an assistant general secretary. He died suddenly on 18 July 1959. In the

1950 Birthday Honours The King's Birthday Honours 1950 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The appointments were made to celebrate the o ...

, Brannigan was made a

Member 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 ...

. In his spare time, he served on the Scottish Transport Users' Consultative Committee, the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association, and the Local Price Regulation Committee.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brannigan, John 1900 births 1959 deaths General secretaries of British trade unions Scottish trade unionists Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Cambusnethan