The National Federation of Building Trades Operatives (NFBTO) was a

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 The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, consisting of unions with members in construction and related industries.

History

In 1914, a group of workers attempted to form the Building Workers' Trade Union, a single

industrial union Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...

to cover the entire construction industry. The existing unions in the industry opposed this, and held a conference in London in February 1915, to discuss their response. They decided to set up the National Associated Building Trades Council (NABTC). This focused on considering what industrial policies would be desirable after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

was concluded. The council's members remained autonomous in all matters and were free to leave at will, but it attracted affiliations from most relevant unions:Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of British Trade Unions'', vol.3, pp.40-41 *

Amalgamated Slaters', Tilers' and Roofing Operatives' Society {{Use British English, date=March 2022 The Amalgamated Slaters', Tilers' and Roofing Operatives' Society was a trade union representing slaters in England, Ireland and Wales. The union originated in 1873 in Sheffield as a federation of local uni ...

Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners (ASC&J) was a New Model Trade Union in the 1860s in the United Kingdom, representing carpenters and joiners. History The formation of the Society was spurred by the Stonemason's strike, 1859, ...

Manchester Unity of Operative Bricklayers' Society The Manchester Unity of Bricklayers, also known as the Manchester Unity of Operative Bricklayers Society (MUOBS) and the United Operative Bricklayers' Trade Protection Society, was a trade union representing bricklayers in the United Kingdom. Th ...

National Association of Builders' Labourers The Altogether Builders' Labourers and Constructional Workers' Society was a trade union representing labourers in the construction industry in the United Kingdom. The union originated around the turn of 1889 and 1890 as the National Associati ...

National Amalgamated Society of Operative House and Ship Painters and Decorators The Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators (ASPD) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1886 and 1970. History The union had its origins in the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters, founded in 1855, wh ...

* United Builders' Labourers' Union * United Operative Plumbers and Domestic Engineers Association of Great Britain and Ireland The council achieved little, and the Carpenters proposed that a more centralised federation be created. This was agreed by the member unions, and on 5 February 1918, the council was refounded as the NFBTO. It was governed by a general council, chaired by Alfred Gould, and a secretary, Bill Bradshaw.Yann Beliard, "Gould, Alfred", ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', vol.XIV, pp.138–145 It launched a campaign for a shorter working week, which was successful. In 1924, its members were

locked out Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

, the NFBTO coming to a settlement with employers. The Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists and

National Association of Operative Plasterers __NOTOC__ The National Association of Operative Plasterers (NAOP) was a trade union representing plasterers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1860 and regarded itself as an amalgamation of three local societies. It immediately at ...

resigned from the federation in protest, but both rejoined a few years later. The federation recognised that in rural areas, most small towns and villages had some building workers, but there were not enough in any particular trade to form a branch of one of the affiliated unions. It decided to create a Composite Section, to represent these workers directly. It divided these members into two classes: class A, whose work was not closely aligned with any particular union, and came under the discipline of the federation, and class B, who were aligned with a particular union, were given membership of it, but the federation handled their contributions and the administration of their membership. The federation remained prominent under two long-term secretaries:

Richard Coppock Sir Richard Coppock (21 February 1885 – 7 September 1971) was a British trade unionist and politician. Born in Cheetham in Manchester, Coppock left school at eleven and followed his father in becoming an apprentice bricklayer two years lat ...

from 1920 to 1961, then Harry Weaver, their long tenures partly as a result of not having to seek re-election. In 1934, Coppock and the NFBTO were central to forming the

International Federation of Building and Wood Workers The International Federation of Building and Wood Workers (IFBWW) was a global union federation of trade unions in the building, building materials, wood, forestry and allied industries. History The federation was established in 1934 by a merg ...

.John Saville, ''Dictionary of Labour Biography'', Vol.III, pp.48-52 In its later years, the federation also organised summer schools, and published the ''Builders' Standard'' tabloid. The NFBTO was regarded as slow to act and bureaucratic. General Council members, on hearing of an issue, would report to their union executives and wait to be told how to vote, before returning and making decisions at the following meeting. In an attempt to tackle this, in 1964 it was renamed the central council, and all executive members of affiliates could attend, in the hope of enabling immediate policy decisions. Given its unwieldy nature, the council only met four times a year, and an executive committee of seven members made decisions between meetings. The federation also set up regional councils, each with its own secretary, and in any location where more than one affiliate had a branch, they could choose to also form a branch of the federation. In 1970, the NFBTO changed its name to the National Federation of Construction Unions, but the following year, several affiliates merged to form the

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) was a British and Irish trade union, operating in the construction industry. It was founded in 1971, and merged into Unite on 1 January 2017. It was affiliated to the Trades U ...

, and the federation decided to dissolve.

Affiliates

The affiliates of the federation in 1965 were: {, class="wikitable sortable" ! Union !! Affiliated Membership !! Notes , - ,

, , 2,012 , , Whole union , - ,

Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators The Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators (ASPD) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1886 and 1970. History The union had its origins in the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters, founded in 1855, wh ...

, , 60,011 , , Relevant sections of union , - , Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists , , 8,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW) was a British trade union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the Union of Constructi ...

, , 121,856 , , Relevant sections of union , - , Amalgamated Union of Asphalt Workers , , 2,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers The Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers (AUBTW) was a British trade union. History The AUBTW was founded in 1921 when the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales, the Operative Bricklayers' Socie ...

, , 80,100 , , Whole union , - ,

Association of Building Technicians The Association of Building Technicians (ABT) was a trade union representing architects, surveyors and related workers in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1919 as the Architects' and Surveyors' Assistants' Professional Union. ...

, , 900 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

Constructional Engineering Union The Constructional Engineering Union (CEU) was a trade union representing steel erectors and other workers involved in steel construction in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1924 as a section of the Iron and Steel Trades Con ...

, , 4,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - , Electrical Trades Union , , 5,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

, , 10,781 , , Whole union , - ,

National Society of Street Masons, Paviors and Road Makers The National Society of Street Masons, Paviors and Road Makers was a trade union representing pavers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1890 as the Amalgamated Union of Street Masons, Paviors, Stone Dressers and Rammermen. It had ...

, , 1,200 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

National Union of Enginemen, Firemen, Mechanics and Electrical Workers The National Amalgamated Union of Enginemen, Firemen, Mechanics, Motormen and Electrical Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It represented stationary engine drivers and cranemen in a wide variety of industries, as well as less sk ...

, , 1,500 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives The National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives (NUFTO) was a trade union in the United Kingdom representing furniture makers. The union was founded in 1947 by the merger of the National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association and the Amalga ...

, , 6,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

National Union of General and Municipal Workers The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom which has more than 460,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National Health Service (N ...

, , 15,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

Plumbing Trades Union The Plumbing Trades Union (PTU) was a trade union representing plumbers in Britain and Ireland. History The union was founded in 1865, when the Manchester Plumbers' Society and the Liverpool Plumbers' Society merged with small organisations ...

, , 30,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - , Scottish Plasterers' Union , , 3,000 , , Whole union , - , Scottish Slaters', Tilers', Roofers' and Cement Workers' Society , , 2,050 , , Whole union , - ,

Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

, , 56,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - ,

United French Polishers' Society {{short description, Former trade union of the United Kingdom The United French Polishers' Society was a trade union representing french polishers in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1901, and appears to have largely consisted ...

, , 1,000 , , Relevant sections of union , - , Composite Section , , 7,500 , , Integral part of federation

References

External links

Catalogue of the NFBTO archives
held at the

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick The Modern Records Centre (MRC) is the specialist archive service of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, located adjacent to the Central Campus Library. It was established in October 1973 and holds the world's largest archive collecti ...

Trade unions established in 1914 1971 disestablishments Building and construction trade unions