The National Association of United Trades for the Protection of Labour was an early

trade union federation 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 trade union center, and many have more than one. In some regions, such a ...

in the United Kingdom, established in 1845. No attempt had been made to co-ordinate the activities of trade unions in various industries across the country since the failure of the Grand National Consolidated Trades Union in 1834. Henry Pelling, ''A History of British Trade Unionism'' The idea to found the organisation was first proposed by the Chartist newspaper the '' Northern Star'', and was then taken up by the United Trades of Sheffield, who lobbied the Member of Parliament Thomas Duncombe. This encouraged the Central Association of London Trades to convene a preliminary meeting for trade unionists in the city, which called a national conference for Easter 1845, held at London's Parthenium. The conference founded the Association, appointing Duncombe as President and editor of the ''Northern Star''

Joshua Hobson Joshua Hobson (1810–1876) was a British Chartist and Tory Radical S. Chadwick (1976), ''A Bold and Faithful Journalist'' (1810-1876), Huddersfield: Kirklees Libraries and Museums Service, esp. pp13 & 78 who was the first publisher of the ''Book ...

to the Central Committee.

David Goodway David Goodway (born 1942) is a British historian and a respected international authority on Chartism and on anarchism and libertarian socialism. Life Goodway was born in the English Midlands town of Rugby in 1942. He studied Philosophy, Politic ...

, '' London Chartism 1838–1848'' Unlike the Grand National, which had aimed to rationalise the number of unions and encourage the formation of general unions, the Association's primary aim was to allow the existing unions to more effectively

lobby Lobby may refer to: * Lobby (room), an entranceway or foyer in a building * Lobbying, the action or the group used to influence a viewpoint to politicians :* Lobbying in the United States, specific to the United States * Lobby (food), a thick stew ...

Parliament for industrial reforms. At its second conference, in July 1845, the Association formed a companion organisation, the National Association of United Trades for the Employment of Labour. This promoted

Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement. He strove to improve factory working conditions, promoted e ...

's concept of "union shops" - essentially producers'

co-operative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically-control ...

s. It also aimed to resettle workers on the land, an ambition which mirrored the contemporary Chartist Land Plan, but one which never came to fruition. From August 1848 until the following summer, the Association issued a weekly journal, the ''Labour League''. However, this was to prove the end of its period of high activity. In 1852, Duncombe stood down as President, and was replaced by G. A. Fleming, the new editor of the ''Northern Star''. The Association continued to lobby Parliament, and finally saw some success with the passing of the

Molestation of Workmen Act Sexual abuse or sex abuse, also referred to as molestation, is abusive sexual behavior by one person upon another. It is often perpetrated using force or by taking advantage of another. Molestation often refers to an instance of sexual assa ...

in 1859. It then focussed on proposing a Conciliation Bill. George Howell claimed that it was not dissolved until 1867, although George Odger claimed that its existence was "a perfect myth" by 1866, when the United Kingdom Alliance of Organised Trades was founded.B. C. Roberts, ''The Trades Union Congress, 1868-1921''

References

1845 establishments in the United Kingdom 1867 disestablishments in the United Kingdom National trade union centres of the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1845 Trade unions established in the 1840s Trade unions disestablished in the 1860s Trade unions based in London