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The Workers' Union of Ireland (WUI), later the Federated Workers' Union of Ireland, was an Irish
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 ...
formed in 1924. In 1990, it merged with the
Irish Transport and General Workers Union The Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU) was a trade union representing workers, initially mainly labourers, in Ireland. History The union was founded by James Larkin and James Fearon (trade unionist), James Fearon in January 1909 ...
to form the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU)."SIPTU celebrates 100th anniversary".
''
Belfast Telegraph The ''Belfast Telegraph'' is a daily newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland, by Independent News & Media, which also publishes the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent and various other newspapers and magazines in Ireland. Its e ...
'' January 4, 2009


History

The WUI was formed in 1924 as a consequence of the clashes between
James Larkin James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party (Ireland), Labou ...
and the incumbent leadership of the ITGWU, subsequent to his 1923 release from
Sing Sing Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison for men operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining (village), New York, Ossining, New York, United States. It is abou ...
and return to Ireland in April 1923. Larkin, still officially general secretary of the ITGWU, clashed bitterly with
William O'Brien William O'Brien (2 October 1852 – 25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons of ...
, who had taken leadership of the ITGWU, the Irish Labour Party and the
Irish Trades Union Congress The Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) was a union federation covering the island of Ireland. History Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). However, many felt that they had little i ...
. During Larkin's absence at the 1924 Comintern congress (and possibly against his wishes), his brother Peter led their supporters out of the ITGWU, forming the WUI. The new union quickly grew, gaining the allegiance of about two thirds of the Dublin membership of the ITGWU and of a smaller number of rural members. It affiliated to the pro-Soviet
Red International of Labour Unions The Red International of Labor Unions (, RILU), commonly known as the Profintern (), was an international body established by the Communist International (Comintern) with the aim of coordinating communist activities within trade unions. Formally ...
, but during the 1930s gradually entered the mainstream of the Irish trade union movement, being admitted to the Dublin Trades Council in 1936 (although the Irish Trades Union Congress would not accept its membership application until 1945). In 1941 a new trade union bill was published by the Government. Inspired by an internal trade union restructuring proposal by O'Brien, it was viewed as a threat by the smaller general unions and the Irish branches of British unions (known as the 'amalgamated unions'). Larkin and the WUI played a leading role in the unsuccessful campaign against the bill. After Big Jim Larkin's 1947 death, his son
James Larkin Jnr James Larkin Jnr (20 August 1904 – 18 February 1969) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade union official. He was born in Liverpool, England, the eldest of four sons of James Larkin, trade union leader, and Elizabeth Larkin (née B ...
became general secretary, and continued to preside over a gradual expansion of the WUI, including amalgamations with a number of other unions. In 1979, the
Federation of Rural Workers The Federation of Rural Workers of Ireland (FRW) was a trade union representing agricultural workers in Ireland. History Agricultural workers in Ireland had been represented by the Irish National Agricultural and General Labourers' Union, but this ...
merged in, and the union renamed itself as the "Federated Workers' Union of Ireland".


Mergers

Numerous smaller trade unions merged into the Workers' Union:Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, pp.497-499 :1929: Dublin Regular Chimney Cleaners' Trade Union :1951: Irish Airline Pilots' Association :1953: Assistant Officers' and Superintendent Assistance Officers' Association :1956: Irish Liver Assurance Employees' Union :1960: Player Wills Staff Association :1961: Irish Medical Scientists' Association :1962: Vocational Education Clerical Association :1964: Association of Chief Administrative Officers of Hospitals, Irish Airlines Executive Staffs' Association, Irish Pharmaceutical and Medical Representatives' Association, Voluntary Hospitals Clerical and Administrative Staffs' Association :1965: Aer Lingus Executive Staff Association, An Foras Taluntais Technical Officers' Staff Association, Association of Irish Radiographers,
Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) () is a statutory independent research institute in Dublin, Ireland. It was established, under the Institute For Advanced Studies Act 1940, by the government of the then Taoiseach, Éamon de Vale ...
Staff Association, Institute for Industrial Research and Standards Staff Association, Guinness Technical Staff Association :1979:
Federation of Rural Workers The Federation of Rural Workers of Ireland (FRW) was a trade union representing agricultural workers in Ireland. History Agricultural workers in Ireland had been represented by the Irish National Agricultural and General Labourers' Union, but this ...
:1983: Irish Agricultural Officers' Organisation :1984: Irish Women Workers' Union :1987: National Association of Transport Employees, United Stationary Engine Drivers, Cranemen, Motormen and Firemen's Trade Union


General Secretaries

:1923:
James Larkin James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republicanism, Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party (Ireland), Labou ...
:1947:
James Larkin Jnr James Larkin Jnr (20 August 1904 – 18 February 1969) was an Irish Labour Party politician and trade union official. He was born in Liverpool, England, the eldest of four sons of James Larkin, trade union leader, and Elizabeth Larkin (née B ...
:1969:
Denis Larkin Denis Larkin (8 June 1908 – 2 July 1987) was an Irish Labour Party (Ireland), Labour Party politician and trade union official. Early life He was born 8 June 1908 in Rostrevor, County Down, the second of four sons of the Irish trade unionist ...
:1977: Paddy Cardiff :1982:
Bill Attley William A. Attley (born 5 April 1938) is a former Irish trade unionist and football referee. Born in Rathcoole, County Dublin, Attley studied at the National College of Industrial Relations. He became active in the Workers' Union of Ireland ( ...


See also

*
List of trade unions This is a list of trade unions and union federations by country. International federations Global * Industrial Workers of the World * International Trade Union Confederation * International Workers Association * World Federation of Trade Un ...


References

Trade unions in the Republic of Ireland 1924 establishments in Ireland Profintern National trade union centres of Ireland Trade unions established in 1924 Trade unions disestablished in 1990 1990 disestablishments in Ireland Syndicalist trade unions {{Europe-trade-union-stub de:Irish Transport and General Workers' Union