The Public Works and Constructional Operatives' Union 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 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 ...

History

The union was founded in 1889 by Andrew Hall and Arthur Humphrey in

West Ham West Ham is an area in East London, located east of Charing Cross in the west of the modern London Borough of Newham. The area, which lies immediately to the north of the River Thames and east of the River Lea, was originally an ancient ...

, late in 1889, Navvies, Bricklayers' Labourers and General Labourers' Union.Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of British Trade Unions'', vol.3, p.124 John Ward had been attempting to found a similar organisation in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batte ...

, and in May 1890 he was persuaded to join the new union, winning election in June as its first president. The union grew rapidly, and by 1892 claimed 5,000 members. The union gradually spread across England and South Wales, developing particular strength in the port at

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...

. In 1897, Ward and Humphrey both resigned, in protest at the union's London-based executive refusing to increase their travel allowances. Ward was appointed as leader of a new South Wales and South Western district, and led a successful strike in Barry. He was elected as the union's general secretary, and moved the headquarters to Barry, although he returned them to London two years later. While Ward remained leader of the union, he was away throughout

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, leading a labour battalion, and he then led it as an anti-Soviet force in the

Russian Civil War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Russian Civil War , partof = the Russian Revolution and the aftermath of World War I , image = , caption = Clockwise from top left: {{flatlist, *Soldiers ...

. The lack of leadership led much of the union's membership to defect to its main rivals, National Association of Builders' Labourers, the United Order of General Labourers of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United Builders' Labourers Union. In 1920, the

National Federation of Building Trade Operatives The National Federation of Building Trades Operatives (NFBTO) was a trade union federation in the United Kingdom, consisting of unions with members in construction and related industries. History In 1914, a group of workers attempted to form the B ...

arranged a merger conference between the four unions of labourers, but Ward returned and withdrew the union from them. He renamed the union as the Public Workers and Constructional Operatives' Union, but it never became a significant force again. In 1929, its Staffordshire district 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 ...

, and the last remnant of the union, still led by Ward, disappeared in 1933.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:1889: Arthur Humphrey :1896: W. Martin :1897: John Ward

Presidents

:1890: John Ward :1897: Richard Davies :1899:

References

*Arthur Ivor Marsh. ''Concise encyclopedia of industrial relations.'' Gower Press, Dec 1, 1979 pg. 316 Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 1889 establishments in the United Kingdom Builders' labourers' trade unions Transport and General Workers' Union amalgamations Trade unions established in 1889 Trade unions disestablished in 1933 Trade unions based in London {{UK-trade-union-stub