The Lancashire, Cheshire and North Wales Colliery Enginemen's, Boilermen's and Brakesmen's Federation 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 engine operators and related workers at

coal mine Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

s in parts of England and Wales. The union was founded in 1900 with the merger of eleven local unions of enginemen. This was organised by Thomas Watson, who became the general secretary of the new union. The union affiliated to the National Federation of Colliery Enginemen and Boilermen, and also 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 ...

(TUC), with Watson serving a term on the

Parliamentary Committee of the TUC A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...

. Watson died in 1921, and was replaced by

William Forshaw Major William Thomas Forshaw VC (20 April 1890 – 26 May 1943) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth fo ...

, who served a term on the

General Council of the TUC 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 ...

. In 1945, the union became part of Group No.2 of the new National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and thereafter had much less autonomy. In 1963, the union merged into the North West Area of the NUM, with members based in North Wales instead transferring to the North Wales Area of the NUM. In both areas, former members of the union were placed in their own branch, although over time, some chose instead to join the area's branch for their pit.{{cite book , last1=Howell , first1=Davies , title=The Politics of the NUM: A Lancashire View , date=1989 , publisher=Manchester University Press , location=Manchester , isbn=0719030234 , page=36

General Secretaries

:1900: Thomas Watson :1921:

:1938: W. L. Williams

References

Engine operators' trade unions Mining trade unions National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain) Trade unions established in 1900 Trade unions disestablished in 1963 Trade unions based in Merseyside