The National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers (NUAW) 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 ( ...

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 ...

which existed between 1906 and 1982. It represented

farmworker A farmworker, farmhand or agricultural worker is someone employed for labor in agriculture. In labor law, the term "farmworker" is sometimes used more narrowly, applying only to a hired worker involved in agricultural production, including harv ...

History

The union was established as the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union at a conference of Norfolk agricultural workers at the Angel Hotel,

North Walsham North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England, within the North Norfolk district. Demography The civil parish has an area of and in the 2011 census had a population of 12,634. For the purposes of local government, the pa ...

on 20 July 1906. Its first president was George Nicholls, its secretary (on 13 shillings a week) was George Edwards and its treasurer was

Richard Winfrey Sir Richard Winfrey (5 August 1858 – 18 April 1944) was a British Liberal politician, newspaper publisher and campaigner for agricultural rights. He served as Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk, 1906–1923, and for Gainsborough, 192 ...

. The other members of its executive committee were J. Binder, J. Sage, William G. Codling, Herbert Day, J. Bly, C. Holman and J. Stibbins. The first three branches of the union were in Norfolk at St Faith's (former stronghold of

Joseph Arch Joseph Arch (10 November 1826 – 12 February 1919) was an English trade unionist and politician, born in Barford, Warwickshire, who played a key role in unionising agricultural workers and in championing their welfare. Following their enfranc ...

's old

National Agricultural Labourers Union The National Agricultural Labourers Union (NALU) was a trade union representing farm workers in Great Britain. Foundation The union's origins lay in a meeting at Wellesbourne in Warwickshire, held in February 1872. Joseph Arch, a well-known ...

) and

Kenninghall Kenninghall is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England, with an area of and a population of 950 at the 2011 census. It falls within the local government district of Breckland. Home to the kings of East Anglia, after the Norman invasion ...

and

Shipham Shipham () is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is on the western edge of the Mendip Hills near the A38, approximately south of Bristol. It is in the local government district of Sedgemoor. The parish includes the village of ...

. In 1910 major strikes and disputes broke out in the Norfolk villages of

Trunch Trunch is a village and parish in Norfolk, England, situated three miles north of North Walsham and two miles from the coast at Mundesley. At the Census 2011 the village had a population of 909. The parish covers an area of . The villages name ...

Knapton Knapton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is southeast of Cromer, northeast of Norwich and northeast of London. The Village is located alongside the B1145 a route which runs between King's Lynn and ...

and St Faith's. At St Faith's, the 105 union men were on strike from May 1910 until February 1911 for 1 shilling a week extra. The organisation changed its name in 1910 to the National Agricultural Labourers and Rural Workers Union. Edwards stood down as Secretary in 1913, but then took up the post of President. In 1920, the union became the National Union of Agricultural Workers, and in 1968 the "National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers".Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.2, pp. 300–301 The union not only fought for worker's rights but also provide social activities. The union's stronghold was in Norfolk,

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...

and

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

with over 90% of agricultural labourers being in membership. William "Bill" Holmes, NUAW General Secretary once told an audience of American trade unionists: "In many of our villages, a man who joins a trade union is worthy of the Victoria Cross that's won on a battlefield. In many villages he dare not be known to be a member of the union. But to be a branch secretary! That is to risk one's livelihood every day in the week". The union's journal was ''The Landworker''. The union became the Agricultural Section of the

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 ...

in 1982. The Dorset County Committee organises the annual

Tolpuddle Martyrs festival The Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally is an annual festival held in the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, England, which celebrates the memory of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. The event is a celebration of trade unionism and labour politics organise ...

along with the TUC.

Election results

The union worked closely with the Labour Party from its early years. Until 1945, it contributed election expenses to some candidates, but no ongoing expenses to those who won election, and therefore it is often not listed as a sponsor in this period.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:1906: George Edwards :1913: Robert Barrie Walker :1928: Bill Holmes :1944: Alf Dann :1953: Harold Collison :1969:

Reg Bottini Reginald Norman Bottini (14 October 1916 – 5 May 1999) was a British trade union leader. Bottini was born in Tooting, his family being restaurant workers who had migrated from Italy. He attended Bec Grammar School before becoming a shippi ...

:1978:

Jack Boddy Jack Richard Boddy (23 August 1922 – 9 March 2004) was a British trade union leader. Born in Norwich to a Quaker family, Boddy was educated at the City of Norwich School. He hoped to become a veterinary surgeon, but his parents could not ...

Presidents

:1906: George Nicholls :1911:

Walter Robert Smith Walter Robert Smith (7 May 1872 – 25 February 1942) was a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) who represented Wellingborough and Norwich. He was an organiser with the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives. Early career Smith was president ...

:1924: Bill Holmes :1928: Edwin Gooch :1966:

Bert Hazell Bertie Hazell, CBE (18 April 1907 – 11 January 2009), also known as Bert Hazell, was a British Labour Party politician and trade union activist. The son of a Norfolk farm worker, he left school at 14 to work on a farm in Wymondham, where hi ...

:1978:

John Hose John Horsley Hose CBE (born 21 March 1928) is a former British trade union leader. Hose grew up in Nottingham, and attended the Nottingham Bluecoat School. In 1943, he became an architect's assistant, then from 1946 to 1948 undertook National Serv ...

References

External links

Catalogue of the NUAW archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
Country StandardAccount of the founding of the union
From EASF website {{DEFAULTSORT:National Union of Agricultural And Allied Workers Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Agriculture and forestry trade unions 1906 establishments in the United Kingdom Transport and General Workers' Union amalgamations Trade unions established in 1906 Trade unions disestablished in 1982 Agricultural organisations based in the United Kingdom 1982 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions based in London