Graphical, Paper and Media Union
Encyclopedia
The Graphical, Paper and Media Union (GPMU) was a trade union
in the United Kingdom
and the Republic of Ireland
between 1992 and 2005. Having been formed from the merger of SOGAT and the National Graphical Association
, it claimed to be the world's largest media union, and had over 200,000 members working in the print
, publishing
, paper
, IT
and media
industries. The sole General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Dubbins
, the Deputy General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Burke.
Facing a decline in membership, in February 2004, GPMU opened merger negotiations with Amicus
. In August 2004, results of a ballot of all members were released, showing 86% of members in favour of merger. The formal merger took place in early 2005, and GPMU became the semi-autonomous Graphical, Paper and Media industrial sector of Amicus. Tony Dubbins became the Deputy General Secretary of Amicus and Tony Burke became Assistant General Secretary of Amicus. Tony Dubbins was also the Chair of TULO. He retired in October, 2008.
Amicus merged with the Transport & General Workers Union in May 2007 to form Unite The Union.
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...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
between 1992 and 2005. Having been formed from the merger of SOGAT and the National Graphical Association
National Graphical Association
The National Graphical Association was a British trade union. It was formed in 1964 by the merger of two long-term rival unions, the Typographical Association and the London Typographical Society...
, it claimed to be the world's largest media union, and had over 200,000 members working in the print
Letterpress printing
Letterpress printing is relief printing of text and image using a press with a "type-high bed" printing press and movable type, in which a reversed, raised surface is inked and then pressed into a sheet of paper to obtain a positive right-reading image...
, publishing
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
, paper
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
, IT
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
and media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
industries. The sole General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Dubbins
Tony Dubbins
Tony Dubbins was a prominent British trade unionist until his retirement from Unite in 2008.He first became a full-time union official in the National Graphical Association and became general secretary in 1984, leading the union through the Wapping dispute....
, the Deputy General Secretary of the GPMU was Tony Burke.
Facing a decline in membership, in February 2004, GPMU opened merger negotiations with Amicus
Amicus
Amicus was the United Kingdom's second-largest trade union, and the largest private sector union, formed by the merger of Manufacturing Science and Finance, the AEEU agreed in 2001, and two smaller unions, UNIFI and the GPMU...
. In August 2004, results of a ballot of all members were released, showing 86% of members in favour of merger. The formal merger took place in early 2005, and GPMU became the semi-autonomous Graphical, Paper and Media industrial sector of Amicus. Tony Dubbins became the Deputy General Secretary of Amicus and Tony Burke became Assistant General Secretary of Amicus. Tony Dubbins was also the Chair of TULO. He retired in October, 2008.
Amicus merged with the Transport & General Workers Union in May 2007 to form Unite The Union.