The Congress of Irish Unions was a confederation of trade unions in Ireland.
Congress was one of the two governing bodies that emerged after the split in the Irish trade union body the Irish Trades Union Congress in 1945. The split developed under pressure from an anticipated fresh labour-state relationship, and alleged 'British domination in ITUC'. The CIU consisted entirely of Irish-based unions, and retained 77,500 workers, including the members of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union. The aim of the CIU was to create a trade union movement in Ireland which was Irish-based and nationalistic in outlook, in contrast to the more internationalist and socialist ITUC which had 146,000 members. The Government, contrary to expectation, did not legislate against the British unions, and from 1953 encouraged a détente between the two factions.[1] The confederations amalgamated in 1959, becoming the Irish Congress of Trade Unions .
On formation, the following unions affiliated to the Congress:[2]
Building Workers' Trade Union
Dublin Typographical Provident Society
Electrical Trades Union (Ireland)
Electrotypers' and Stereotypers' Society
Irish Bookbinders' and Allied Trades Union
Irish Engineering Industrial Union
Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers' and Allied Trade Assistants
Irish Seamen and Port Workers' Union
Irish Society of Woodcutting Machinists
Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
Irish Union of Distributive Workers and Clerks
Operative Plasterers' Trade Society
United Ship and House Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union
By 1954, the following unions held membership:[3]
| Union | Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Automobile Drivers' and Automobile Mechanics' Union | 1,500 | |
| Building Workers' Trade Union | 1,700 | |
| 1,267 | ||
| 2,500 | ||
| Electrotypers' and Stereotypers' Society | 83 | |
| Guild of Irish Journalists | 46 | |
| Irish Actors' Equity Association | 210 | |
| 1,075 | ||
| 1,978 | ||
| 2,960 | ||
| 3,844 | ||
| Irish National Union of Woodworkers | 950 | |
| 2,950 | ||
| Irish Society of Woodcutting Machinists | 750 | |
| Irish Sub-Postmasters' Union | 1,500 | |
| 148,442 | ||
| 14,697 | ||
| 300 | ||
| 1,300 | ||
| Racecourse Bookmakers' Assistants' Association | 200 | |
| Regular Dublin Coopers' Society | 254 | |
| United House and Ship Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union of Ireland | 423 |
1945: Cathal O'Shannon
1946: Leo Crawford
| Year | President | Union | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 - 46 | Gerard Owens | Electrical Trades Union (Ireland) | |
| 1947 | Thomas Kennedy | Irish Transport and General Workers Union | |
| 1948 | W. J. Whelan | Dublin Typographical Provident Society | |
| 1949 | Owen Hynes | Building Workers' Trade Union | |
| 1950 | Michael Colgan | Irish Bookbinders' and Allied Trades Union | |
| 1951 | John Conroy | Irish Transport and General Workers Union | |
| 1952 | Walter Beirne | Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers' and Allied Trade Assistants | |
| 1953 | William McMullen | ||
| 1954 | Gerald Doyle | Operative Plasterers' Trade Society | |
| 1955 | John O'Brien | Irish Engineering, Industrial and Electrical Trade Union | |
| 1956 | Michael Mervyn | Electrical Trades Union (Ireland) | |
| 1957 | Laurence Hudson | United House and Ships Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union of Ireland | |
| 1958 - 59 | Terence Farrell | Irish Bookbinders' and Allied Trades Union |
Source: Donal Nevin et al., Trade Union Century, pp. 438–439