The Postal and Telecommunications Workers' Union 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 ( ...

representing communication workers in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. The union was founded in 1923 when the

Irish Postal Union The Irish Postal Union (IPU) was a trade union representing clerks, telegraphists and telephonists working in the Post Office in Ireland. The union was founded in 1900 as the Dual Workers' Association, and in 1904 it was renamed as the Association ...

merged with the Irish Postal Workers' Union and the

Irish Post Office Engineering Union The Communication Workers Union is a trade union in Ireland. The union was founded in 1922 as the Irish Post Office Engineering Union, splitting from the British Post Office Engineering Union following the establishment of the Irish Free State ...

(IPOEU), and was initially named the United Postal Union. The union immediately affiliated with the

Irish Trades Union Congress The Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) was a union federation covering the island of Ireland. History Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). However, many felt that they had little im ...

, and from the start worked closely with the British

Union of Post Office Workers The Union of Communication Workers (UCW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom for workers in the post office and telecommunications industries. History The union was founded in 1919 as the Union of Post Office Workers (UPW) by the merger ...

. The IPOEU was unhappy with the merger arrangements, and so it withdrew early on, to continue an independent existence. The union was soon renamed as the Post Office Workers' Union (POWU). From 1924 to 1957, the union was led by

William Norton William Joseph Norton (2 November 1900 – 4 December 1963) was an Irish Labour Party politician who served as Tánaiste from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957, Leader of the Labour Party from 1932 to 1960, Minister for Social Welfare from ...

, who for much of this time also served as leader of the Labour Party. Under his leadership, the union steadily grew, from 4,000 members in 1930, to 7,302 in 1960. The small Transferred Officers' Protection Association amalgamated with the union in 1930, and the Post Office Clerical Association joined in 1958. The union became the Postal Telecommunications Workers' Union in 1984. In 1989, it merged into the

Communications Union of Ireland The Communication Workers Union is a trade union in Ireland. The union was founded in 1922 as the Irish Post Office Engineering Union, splitting from the British Post Office Engineering Union following the establishment of the Irish Free State. ...

, which renamed itself as the Communication Workers' Union.

General Secretaries

:1924:

:1957: William Bell :1966:

Maurice Cosgrave Maurice Cosgrave (7 March 1922 – 1 September 1996) was an Irish trade union leader. Cosgrave worked at the Curragh Camp during World War II. He became active in the Post Office Workers' Union, and in 1966 was elected as its general secret ...

:1973: Terry Quinlan :1985: David Begg

References

{{Authority control Trade unions established in 1923 Trade unions disestablished in 1989 Defunct trade unions of Ireland Communications trade unions 1923 establishments in Ireland 1989 disestablishments in Ireland