National Amalgamated Union of Labour
Encyclopedia
The National Amalgamated Union of Labour (NAUL) was a general union
in the United Kingdom
.
The trade union
was founded in 1888 as the Tyneside and District Labourers Union, and it participated in the National Labour Federation. It soon established branches outside the Tyneside
area, particularly in Yorkshire
and Lincolnshire
, so in 1894 it renamed itself the "National Amalgamated Union of Labour". By 1897, it claimed 22,397 members, making it the fourth largest union in the UK. It affiliated to the Trades Union Congress
in 1912.
Following mergers with a large number of small trade unions, by 1919, the union had 148,000 members spread across the UK and was led by Joseph N. Bell. He formed the National Amalgamated Workers Union as a loose confederation with the Municipal Employees Association (MEA) and the Workers Union, but this dissolved in 1922, shortly before Bell's death. In 1924, the union merged with the National Union of General Workers
and the MEA to form the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.
General union
A General Union is a trade union which represents workers from all industries and companies, rather than just one organization or a particular sector, as in a craft union or industrial union...
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...
.
The trade 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...
was founded in 1888 as the Tyneside and District Labourers Union, and it participated in the National Labour Federation. It soon established branches outside the Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
area, particularly in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, so in 1894 it renamed itself the "National Amalgamated Union of Labour". By 1897, it claimed 22,397 members, making it the fourth largest union in the UK. It affiliated to 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...
in 1912.
Following mergers with a large number of small trade unions, by 1919, the union had 148,000 members spread across the UK and was led by Joseph N. Bell. He formed the National Amalgamated Workers Union as a loose confederation with the Municipal Employees Association (MEA) and the Workers Union, but this dissolved in 1922, shortly before Bell's death. In 1924, the union merged with the National Union of General Workers
National Union of General Workers (UK)
The National Union of General Workers was an early general union in the United Kingdom.The union was founded in 1889 as the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers by Will Thorne, Ben Tillett and William Byford, following lay offs at Beckton gas works...
and the MEA to form the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.