Edward Haigh (7 November 1935 – 17 February 2016) 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 unionist 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 Employee ben ...

. Haigh grew up in Birstall, then in the

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

, and was educated at St Mary's Roman Catholic School in

Batley Batley is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. Batley lies south-west of Leeds, north-west of Wakefield and Dewsbury, south-east of Bradford and north-east of Huddersfield. Batley is part of the ...

. He became a carpet weaver in 1956, and joined the

National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers The National Union of Dyers, Bleachers and Textile Workers (NUDBTW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1936 with the merger of the National Union of Textile Workers, which was the main union representing ...

(NUDBTW). He was chosen as a

shop steward A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a labor union member and official. Rank-and-file members of the union hold ...

four years later, then, in 1969, became a full-time district organiser for the union.Haigh, Edward
, ''

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'' In 1973, Haigh became a district secretary for the NUDBTW, and in 1977, he was appointed as its National Organiser, also leading on negotiations on pay and conditions for members. In 1979, he was elected as the union's Assistant General Secretary, but the NUDBTW decided to merge into 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 ...

(TGWU) in 1982. He was appointed as secretary of the TGWU's new dyers, bleacher and textile workers group, and was also elected to the

General Council of the Trades Union Congress The General Council of the Trades Union Congress is an elected body which is responsible for carrying out the policies agreed at the annual British Trade Union Congresses (TUC). Organisation The council has 56 members, all of whom must be proposed ...

(TUC), although he served only one year before it was reorganised. The TUC decided that the textile workers could no longer be represented separately from the rest of the TGWU, and Haigh therefore left the council. From 1982 until 1991, Haigh served on the

National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...

of the Labour Party. He was loosely associated with the party's left wing, although he voted for the expulsion of the committee of ''

Militant The English word ''militant'' is both an adjective and a noun, and it is generally used to mean vigorously active, combative and/or aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in "militant reformers". It comes from the 15th century Latin " ...

''. He chaired the party's important Finance and General Purposes Committee from 1986, In 1992, he chaired the party's annual conference. In 1985, Haigh was appointed as Assistant General Secretary of the TGWU, serving until he took early retirement, in 1991.

Seumas Milne Seumas Patrick Charles Milne (born 5 September 1958)Winchester College: A Register. Edited by P.S.W.K. McClure and R.P. Stevens, on behalf of the Wardens and Fellows of Winchester College. 7th edition, 2014. pp. 582 (Short Half 1971 list heading) ...

, "TGWU contender backed by Kinnock withdraws from fight", ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 27 July 1991

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haigh, Eddie 1935 births 2016 deaths Trade unionists from Yorkshire Labour Party (UK) people Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress People from Birstall, West Yorkshire