The International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF) was a

global union federation A global union federation (GUF) is an international List of federations of trade unions, federation of national trade unions organizing in specific industry sectors or occupational groups. Historically, such federations in the social democratic t ...

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

History

The secretariat was founded in August 1907, as the International Federation of General Factory Workers, but became inactive during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. It was re-established on 27 October 1920 at a conference in Amsterdam, and set up its headquarters at 17

Museumplein The Museumplein (; ) is a public space in the Museumkwartier (Amsterdam), Museumkwartier neighbourhood of the Amsterdam-Zuid stadsdeel, borough in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Located at the Museumplein are three major museums – the Rijksmuseum, V ...

in the city. By 1935, the federation had affiliates in Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and Yugoslavia. The federation held regular sectional conferences for the chemical industry. Following the collapse of the International Federation of Glass Workers, it added a glass industry section, with its first conference in 1938. Similarly, the

International Federation of Pottery Workers The International Federation of Pottery Workers (IFPW) was a global union federation. History The union was founded on the initiative of Fritz Zietsch, editor of ''Die Ameise'', the Germany pottery workers' journal. In 1905, he wrote to unions of p ...

dissolved before

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, and in 1947, the federation held the first conference of its new pottery industry section. In 1954, it held a conference for the rubber industry. In 1950, the federation was renamed as the International Federation of Industrial Organisations and General Workers' Unions (IFF), and then in 1964 it became the International Federation of Chemical and General Workers' Unions (ICF). At this time, the organisation was in competition with the International Federation of Petroleum and Chemical Workers, but that collapsed in 1976, with many of its affiliates joining the IFCGW, which renamed itself as the International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF). Membership accordingly rose from four million to 6.3 million by 1992.James C. Docherty and Sjaak van der Velden, ''Historical Dictionary of Organized Labor'', pp.140-141

Union of International Associations The Union of International Associations (UIA) is a non-profit organization, non-profit non-governmental organization, non-governmental research institute and documentation center based in Brussels, Belgium, and operating under United Nations mand ...

,
International Federation of Chemical, Energy and General Workers' Unions (ICEF)
In 1995, the ICEF merged with the

Miners' International Federation The Miners' International Federation (MIF), sometimes known as the International Federation of Miners, was a global union federation of trade unions. History Wirtz (1962) documented that the Miners International Federation (MIF) 'had its origin i ...

to form the

International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) was a global union federation of trade unions. As of November 2007, ICEM represented 467 industrial trade unions in 132 countries, claiming a membership of o ...

Leadership

General Secretaries

:C. Sorrensen :1920:

Roel Stenhuis Roelof Stenhuis (26 March 1885 – 1963) was a Dutch people, Dutch trade union leader and politician. Born in Zuidbroek, Groningen, Zuidbroek, he left school at the age of 15 and did a number of jobs before becoming a factory worker. He join ...

:1929: Klaas de Jonge :1950: L. M. van Waasdijk :1954: Menzo ter Borch :1964: Charles Levinson :1984: Michael Boggs :1994: Vic Thorpe

Presidents

:1920:

James O'Grady Sir James O'Grady, (6 May 1866 – 10 December 1934) was a trade unionist and Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was the first colonial governor appointed by the Labour Party from within its own ranks. Early life O'Grady was ...

:1925: August Brey :1933: Robert Nielsen :1945:

Mark Hewitson Captain Mark Hewitson (15 December 1897 – 27 February 1973) was a British trade union official and Labour Party politician. He was chosen at the last minute to stand for Parliament, and eventually served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for nin ...

:1950: Carl F. Lindahl :1953: Jim Matthews :1964: Wilhelm Gefeller :1970: Karl Hauenschild :1983: Moss Evans :1986: Nils Kristoffersson :1989: Hermann Rappe

References

{{Authority control Chemical industry trade unions Energy industry trade unions Global union federations Trade unions established in 1907 Trade unions disestablished in 1995