The Retail Book Association is 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 ...

, representing workers at

WHSmith WHSmith (also written WH Smith, and known colloquially as Smith's and formerly as W. H. Smith & Son) is a British retailer, headquartered in Swindon, England, which operates a chain of high street, railway station, airport, port, hospital and m ...

. The union was founded in 1919 as the Retail Book, Stationery and Allied Trades Employees' Association. Its membership has always been around 2,000, and the majority of its members always worked for W. H. Smith, although at times it has included members from other newsagents and bookshops. Based in London for many years, it moved to

Swindon Swindon () is a town and unitary authority with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Wiltshire, England. As of the 2021 Census, the population of Swindon was 201,669, making it the largest town in the county. The Swindon un ...

when WHSmith's head office relocated there. From the 1980s it has undertaken activity under the name of the "Retail Book Association",Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, p.135 although the original title remains its officially registered name. In its early days, the union was led by a general secretary, the post held successively by V. H. Pain, R. V. Motts and A. J. Johnson. The union was affiliated to the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre 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 tra ...

for a period in the 1960s, but withdrew and instead linked with other unions through the General Federation of Trade Unions. It is no longer a member of either organisation. It has never had a political fund, but is entirely independent of WHSmith, representing members with grievances or who are subject to disciplinary action. It employs a full-time president and other members of staff.Retail Book Association,
RBA

References

External links

Official website
Trade unions in the United Kingdom 1919 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1919 Retail trade unions Trade unions based in Wiltshire