The National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boiler Firemen was a

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. Its membership changed over time, but was centred on unions representing enginemen at coal mines. The federation was founded in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

in 1873 as the National Federation of Enginemen's Protective Associations of Great Britain. It grew steadily, and by 1894 had seventeen affiliated unions, although their combined membership was less than 10,000. By 1915, it had refocused on its members in coal mines, and was known as the National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boiler Firemen. It affiliated to the

Miners' Federation of Great Britain The Miners' Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) was established after a meeting of local mining trade unions in Newport, Wales in 1888. The federation was formed to represent and co-ordinate the affairs of local and regional miners' unions in Engla ...

(MFGB) in 1919, but disaffiliated again in 1921, believing that the MFGB's strike that year was not in its members' interests. It began accepting colliery mechanics, and changed its name to the National Federation of Colliery Enginemen, Boilermen and Mechanics. In 1944, the Durham County Colliery Enginemen, Boilerminders' and Firemen's Association, and Yorkshire Colliery Enginemen and Firemen's Association became part of Group No.1 of the National Union of Mineworkers, while the

Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation The Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation was a trade union representing engine operators and related workers at coal mines in parts of England and Wales. The union was founded in 1900 w ...

, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Midland Counties Colliery Enginemen, Firemen, Motormen and Electricians' Union, and the Scottish Colliery Enginemen, Boilermen and Tradesmen's Association became part of its Group No.2, and the Cumberland Colliery Enginemen, Boilermen and Electrical Workers along with the colliery membership of the

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 ...

became part of its Power Group. As a result, the federation appears to have dissolved.{{cite book , last1=Marsh , first1=Arthur , last2=Ryan , first2=Victoria , title=Historical Directory of Trade Unions , volume=2 , date=1984 , publisher=Gower Publishing , location=Aldershot , isbn=0566021617 , pag
199
, url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldirect0004mars/page/199

Secretaries

:1890s:

William Browell Charlton William Browell Charlton (1855 – 30 January 1932) was a British trade union leader. Charlton was born at Burnt House, just west of Chester-le-Street, in County Durham. He began work coupling at the flats at Edmondsley Colliery when he wa ...

:c.1897: Muir :1910s: C. Hearse :1922: Robert Shirkie

References

Engine operators' trade unions Mining trade unions National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain) Trade unions established in 1873 Trade unions disestablished in 1944