Workers' Union

This material is held atModern Records Centre, University of Warwick

  • Reference
    • GB 152 WOU
  • Former Reference
    • GB 152 WOU
  • Dates of Creation
    • 1899 - 1929
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 7 boxes

Scope and Content

Annual reports, 1905-1929; 'Record', 1913-1929; Rulebooks, 1899-1929; Triennial Conference reports, 1916-1919; verbatim reports of negotiations, 1920-1927.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Workers' Union was established in 1898. It aimed to be an all-inclusive union and recruited members from a large cross-section of trades, including labourers of all types, machinists, chemical workers, municipal and other local and central government employees (it actually aimed to replace the other local and central government unions), cocoa workers, brewery workers, file cutters, grinders and hardeners, riddle-makers, packing case makers, sanitary pipe workers, quarrymen, farm and rural workers, and factory workers of all kinds. It absorbed several smaller unions, including the London Cloth Workers' Union and the Small Arms Employees' Union in 1914. The Workers' Union amalgamated with the Transport and General Workers' Union in 1929, forming its own semi-independent trade group until 1931 when its members were split between other trade groups.

Access Information

Prior written permission to consult unpublished records in this archive is required. Details are given in the full catalogue. Subject to permission being granted, the archive is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Other Finding Aids

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/WOU

Custodial History

The material was deposited from 1976 by the TGWU

Related Material

See also MSS.126/TG (Transport and General Workers' Union) and MSS.51 (Richard Hyman Papers). Branch records are held by Anglesey and Calderdale Record Offices, the Manx National Heritage Library, and Sussex University.