Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA), earlier the Civil Service Clerical Association (CSCA)

Scope and Content

This collection includes: rules and amalgamation records; committee and conference records; records relating to the Civil Service National Whitley Council (mainly Staff Side) and related bodies; subject files and papers; periodical and other publications; branch and section records.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Civil Service Clerical Association was formed in 1921 after the amalgamation of the Civil Service Clerical Union and the Clerical Officers' Association. Initially, the CSCA was formed to promote the interests of both permanent and temporary Civil Service staff. This was the first organisation under which such a move was made. At this time, the union had a membership of over 16,000. The CSCA was affiliated with the Trades Union Congress and the Labour Party until 1927, when under the terms of the Trade Disputes Act, government employees were forced to disaffiliate. It re-affiliated with the TUC in 1946. In 1969 it changed its name to the Civil and Public Services Association. In 1973 the Ministry of Labour Staff Association amalgamated with the CPSA and in January 1974 the CPSA absorbed the Court Officer's Association, which became the Court Officers' Section. In March 1998 the CPSA amalgamated with the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union to form the Public and Commercial Services Union.

Reference: Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of Trade Unions (England 1988).

Access Information

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Acquisition Information

Records whose references begin with MSS.415 or 571 were deposited by the Public and Commercial Services Union.

Other Finding Aids

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this archive, apart from the requirements of copyright law.

Appraisal Information

This collection has been weeded for duplicates.

Accruals

Further deposits are expected.

Related Material

The Centre also holds papers of and concerning Ernest "Bill" Hicks, Frank Fallows and Norman Jacobs, CSCA officials, and records of the Clerical Officers' Association (Civil Service) the Civil Service Clerical Union and other predecessors of the Public and Commercial Services Union, as well as the PCSU itself.