Thomas Whittaker (died 10 May 1995) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

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 ( ...

leader. He devoted his life to a small trade union, while holding prominent positions in the General Federation of Trade Unions. Whittaker worked in the shoe factory of Lambert Howarth and Sons. In 1935, he joined the

Rossendale Union of Boot, Shoe and Slipper Operatives The Rossendale Union of Boot, Shoe and Slipper Operatives was a trade union representing workers in the footwear trade in the Rossendale area of Lancashire. The union was founded in 1895,University of Warwick Modern Records Centre,Rossendale U ...

(RUBSSO), and in 1947 he was elected as the union's assistant general secretary. In 1969, Whittaker succeeded as general secretary of the union, in which post he was known for his unemotional approach to negotiations. On being elected as leader of the Rossendale Union, Whittaker also won election to the Management Committee of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). He served as chair of the federation in 1975, and championed the creation of a GFTU Research Service. Whittaker also served on a number of committees relating to the shoemaking industry, and on the Bacup, Rawtenstall and Ramsbottom

Trades Council A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area. Most commonly, they represent unions in a given geographical area, whether at the district, city, region, or provincial or ...

. Whittaker retired in 1993, but remained active in trade unionism in a voluntary role. He died in 1995, on return home from the GFTU conference.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittaker, Tom Year of birth missing 1995 deaths General secretaries of British trade unions People from the Borough of Rossendale Presidents of the General Federation of Trade Unions (UK)