Civil and Public Services Association
Encyclopedia
The Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) was a trade union
in the United Kingdom
, representing civil servants.
The union was founded in 1921, when the Civil Service Clerical Union and the Clerical Officers' Association merged to form the Civil Service Clerical Association. It affiliated with the Trades Union Congress
(TUC) and the Labour Party
and had around 16,000 members. Its Dublin branch left the following year, to form the Civil and Public Services Union
.
Following the 1926 United Kingdom general strike
, the Trades Disputes Act 1927 was passed, requiring government employees to disaffiliate from political parties and trades union confederations, compelling the union to leave the Labour Party and the TUC. It rejoined the TUC in 1946.
In 1969, the union renamed itself as the "Civil and Public Services Association". In 1973, the Ministry of Labour Staff Association joined the CPSA, while in 1974 the Court Officers Association joined. In 1985, the union's Postal and Telecommunications Group left to merge with the Post Office Engineering Union
, forming the National Communications Union
.
The CPSA merged with the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union
in 1998, forming the Public and Commercial Services Union
.
supporter John Macreadie
initially won the ballot. However, the election was blocked and the courts ordered it to be re-run, with John Ellis receiving 42,000 votes, Macreadie receiving 31,000, and the Broad Left 84, backed by the Communist Party
gaining 13,000.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, representing civil servants.
The union was founded in 1921, when the Civil Service Clerical Union and the Clerical Officers' Association merged to form the Civil Service Clerical Association. It affiliated with the Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
(TUC) and the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and had around 16,000 members. Its Dublin branch left the following year, to form the Civil and Public Services Union
Civil and Public Services Union
The Civil and Public Services Union , is an Irish trade union for clerical and administrative grades in the civil service, the wider public sector and the private sector. It is a member of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions....
.
Following the 1926 United Kingdom general strike
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
, the Trades Disputes Act 1927 was passed, requiring government employees to disaffiliate from political parties and trades union confederations, compelling the union to leave the Labour Party and the TUC. It rejoined the TUC in 1946.
In 1969, the union renamed itself as the "Civil and Public Services Association". In 1973, the Ministry of Labour Staff Association joined the CPSA, while in 1974 the Court Officers Association joined. In 1985, the union's Postal and Telecommunications Group left to merge with the Post Office Engineering Union
Post Office Engineering Union
The Post Office Engineering Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It represented engineering staff in the Post Office, mostly working in telecommunications....
, forming the National Communications Union
National Communications Union
The National Communications Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1985 when the Post Office Engineering Union and the Postal and Telecommunications Group of the Civil and Public Services Association merged...
.
The CPSA merged with the Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union
Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union
The Public Services, Tax and Commerce Union was a short-lived trade union in the United Kingdom.The union was formed in January 1996, when the Inland Revenue Staff Federation merged with the National Union of Civil and Public Servants...
in 1998, forming the Public and Commercial Services Union
Public and Commercial Services Union
The Public and Commercial Services Union is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in government departments and other public bodies although some work for private companies.- Membership and organisation :...
.
1986 General Secretary Election Controversy
In the elections, Militant tendencyMilitant Tendency
The Militant tendency was an entrist group within the British Labour Party based around the Militant newspaper that was first published in 1964...
supporter John Macreadie
John Macreadie
John Macreadie was a Scottish trade unionist and a longstanding supporter of the Militant tendency.- Early life and career:...
initially won the ballot. However, the election was blocked and the courts ordered it to be re-run, with John Ellis receiving 42,000 votes, Macreadie receiving 31,000, and the Broad Left 84, backed by the Communist Party
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
gaining 13,000.
General Secretaries
- 1921: William Brown
- 1942: Len White
- 1955: George F. Green
- 1963: L. A. Wines
- 1967: Bill Kendall
- 1976: Ken ThomasKen ThomasKenneth Rowland Thomas OBE was a Welsh trade unionist and General Secretary of the Civil and Public Services Association .-Early life:...
- 1982: Alistair GrahamAlistair GrahamSir John Alistair Graham is a well known figure in British public life. He was Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life from 2003 until April 2007....
- 1986: John Ellis
- 1992: Barry Reamsbottom