The National Amalgamated Labourers' Union (NALU) 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 (s ...

representing unskilled labourers 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 European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. The union was founded in 1889, initially based in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...

, and later in Swansea. Its membership long varied between 3,000 and 4,000, although by the 1910s, it was over 5,000.Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, p.474 The union affiliated to the

National Transport Workers' Federation The National Transport Workers' Federation (NTWF) was an association of British trade unions. It was formed in 1910 to co-ordinate the activities of various organisations catering for dockers, seamen, tramwaymen and road transport workers. Histor ...

, and in 1922 it merged 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 ...

General Secretaries

:1889: Thomas Davies :1890s: Harry Williams :1909: John Twomey

References

Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Transport and General Workers' Union amalgamations Trade unions established in 1889 Trade unions disestablished in 1922 Trade unions in Wales {{UK-trade-union-stub