National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers explained

National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers
Location Country:United Kingdom
Affiliation:Liberal Party (1906–1911), TUC, Labour Party
Abbreviation:NUAW, NUAAW
Members:70,800 (1946)[1]
Type:Trade union
Merged:Transport and General Workers' Union
(Agricultural Section)
Publication:The Landworker
Headquarters:308 Gray's Inn Road, London
Leader Title:General Secretary
Leader Name:George Edwards (first)
Jack Boddy (last)
Leader Title2:President
Leader Name2:George Nicholls (first)
John Hose (last)
Leader Title3:Treasurer
Leader Name3:Richard Winfrey (first)

The National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers (NUAAW) was a trades union representing farmworkers in the United Kingdom. The Union was founded in 1906 by trade union activist George Edwards. It was dissolved in 1982 when it merged into the Agricultural Section of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

In 1919, the union began publishing its journal The Landworker for its members. The journal remains in circulation, now published by the Agricultural Section of Unite the Union[2] [3]

History

Background

The late 19th century saw the rise of the labour movement in the United Kingdom. As the movement grew in the agricultural sector, conflict increased between three main groups:

In the early 1870s, British farmworkers began organising agricultural trade unions such as the Lincolnshire Labour League (later the Amalgamated Labour League), the Warwickshire Agricultural Labourers Union (later the National Agricultural Labourers' Union), and the Kent and Sussex Agricultural Labourers' Union. These unions initially achieved modest victories and growth, but a series of unsuccessful attempts to use collective action resulted in the decline and dissolution of early farmworkers' unions.

After the victory of the Liberal Party in the 1906 UK general election, many farm owners were angered by the rejection of the Conservative Party. Farm owners took revenge by sacking and evicting farmers who they suspected of radical views or of Liberal sympathies.

Formation and early years

In Norfolk, farm workers saught the help of Liberal counciller and trade union activist George Edwards. Ewards had previously been involved with union organising, but initially believed he wasn't equal to the task. After being convinced by his wife, Charlotte Edwards, George Edwards agreed to help establish a farmerworker's union. In early June, Edwards began making use of his connections with union activists and Liberal members to raise funds. While some supporting Liberals expressed scepticism, two Liberal MPsGeorge Nicholls and Richard Winfrey — pledged to attend the founding the conference in addition their donations.

Through this, £10 in funds were raised. Although the cost of hosting a conference at the Angel Hotel in North Walsham was £11, Edwards himself funded the difference out of his own pocket. With this, the conference was held on 20 July 1906, with attending Norfolk agricultural workers voting to establish the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union.

George Edwards was the union's inaugeral General Secretary, and was paid 13 shillings a week. Other leadership positions were held by George Nicholls, the union's first president, and Richard Winfrey, its first treasurer. The remainder of its Executive Committee consisted of J. Binder, J. Sage, William G. Codling, Herbert Day, J. Bly, C. Holman and J. Stibbins. Much of the union's early leadership were trade union moderates associated with the Liberal Party, and shyed away from any actions they considered militant. George Edwards himself described strike action as a horror, and often worked to prevent strikes.

The first three branches of the union were in Norfolk, One in St Faith's (former stronghold of Joseph Arch's old National Agricultural Labourers Union), one in Kenninghall, and one in Shipham. By the end of 1906, the union had established fifty-seven branches, and had a total of 1,600 members.

Split from the Liberals and affiliation to Labour

In March 1910, major strikes for better pay and conditions broke out in the Norfolk villages of Trunch, and spread to Knapton and St Faith's. At St Faith's, the 105 union men were on strike from May 1910 until February 1911 for 1 shilling a week extra. The strike action was unsuccessful, with many union members supicious of the Liberal Party undermining them. As a result, at the Union's February 1911 Fakenham conference, the Union's members voted to affiliate to the Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

From 1911 untill 1923, Walter Robert Smith was Honourary President of the Union.[4]

The organisation changed its name in 1912 to the National Agricultural Labourers and Rural Workers Union (NALRWU), and in the same year officially registered as an Approved Society under the National Insurance Act 1911. Through a £500 grant by the TUC, in 1913 the union was able to afford two salaried organisers. George Edwards stood down as General Secretary in 1913, then took up the post of President.[5]

Growing intrest in the NALRWU in some regards outstripped the ability of the Union's head office to keep up. One such case 1912 appeals to expand the union's activity into Flintshire in Wales turned down. Despite this, the NALRWU continued to grow. The Union entered Wales in Wrexham County joined with a campaign to strengthen its position in South-West Lancashire. When farmworkers in the area put forward demands for increased pay, they were denied and 2,000 workers went on strike. The strike lasted two weeks, and received the support of the Ormskirk branch of the National Union of Railwaymen

In 1920, the Union became the National Union of Agricultural Workers (NUAW).

Decline and amalgamation

In 1968 the Union took on it's final name, the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers (NUAAW).[6]

In 1982, the union was dissolved and became part of the Agricultural Section of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

Function and culture

The Union not only fought for worker's rights but also provide social activities.[7]

The Union's stronghold was in Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Dorset with over 90% of agricultural labourers being in membership.

William "Bill" Holmes, NUAW General Secretary once told an audience of American trade unionists:"In many of our villages, a man who joins a trade union is worthy of the Victoria Cross that's won on a battlefield. In many villages he dare not be known to be a member of the union. But to be a branch secretary! That is to risk one's livelihood every day in the week".

In 1982, the union was dissolved and became part of the Agricultural Section of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

The Dorset County Committee organises the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs festival along with the TUC.

Election results

The union worked closely with the Labour Party from its early years.[8] Until 1945, it contributed election expenses to some candidates, but no ongoing expenses to those who won election, and therefore it is often not listed as a sponsor in this period.[9]

Election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position
1918 general election[10] 9,780 49.1 2
6,536 35.7 2
3,443 18.8 3
1920 by-election8,594 45.7 1
1921 by-election[11] 8,290 38.9 2
1922 general election[12] 8,683 32.7 2
10,159 44.4 2
7,672 41.1 2
9,388 47.0 2
11,682 51.9 1
10,402 43.7 2
11,376 44.5 2
1929 general election7,856 23.4 3
6,562 20.2 2
1945 general election[13] 24,322 49.9 2
21,263 44.1 2
17,753 58.7 1
1950 general election[14] 18,626 42.5 2
19,790 48.0 1
1951 general election[15] 17,270 44.1 2
21,067 50.3 1
14,254 48.5 2
1955 general election[16] 20,899 51.5 1
17,215 47.9 2
19,508 43.2 2
15,314 50.6 1
1959 general election[17] 19,784 50.9 1
16,542 46.2 2
16,858 50.1 1
16,182 35.3 2
1964 general election[18] 19,370 50.1 1
16,605 49.2 2
16,619 36.2 2
1966 general election[19] 20,796 50.9 1
1970 general election[20] 12,800 31.7 2
19,903 44.7 2
1974 Oct general election[21] 18,108 49.7 1
1979 general election[22] 25,672 68.5 1

Leadership

General Secretaries

1906: George Edwards

1913: Robert Barrie Walker

1928: Bill Holmes

1944: Alf Dann

1953: Harold Collison

1969: Reg Bottini

1978: Jack Boddy

Presidents

1906: George Nicholls

1913: George Edwards

1923: Bill Holmes

1928: Edwin Gooch

1966: Bert Hazell

1978: John Hose

See also

Works Cited

External links

Notes and References

  1. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  2. Web site: Campbell . Amanda . 2019-09-13 . Celebrating rural workers and 100 years of The Landworker journal . 2024-07-15 . LabourList . en-GB.
  3. Web site: 'The Land Worker', 1919-1950 . 2024-07-15 . warwick.ac.uk.
  4. News: 27 February 1942 . DEATH OF MR. W. R. SMITH . subscription . 17 November 2015 . Northampton Mercury . British Newspaper Archive.
  5. Web site: Edwards, Sir George (1850–1933), trade unionist and politician . subscription . 2024-07-20 . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . en.
  6. Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol.2, pp. 300–301
  7. Web site: The Museum of English Rural Life. Berkshire darts tournament prize officiated by National Union for Agricultural Workers. 2021-08-13. www.reading.ac.uk.
  8. Book: Griffiths . Clare . Labour and the Countryside . 2007 . Oxford University Press . Oxford . 9780199287437.
  9. Book: Parker . James . Trade unions and the political culture of the Labour Party, 1931–1940 . 2017 . University of Exeter . Exeter . 179 .
  10. Book: Alun Howkins

    . Howkins . Alun . Poor Labouring Men . 1985 . Routledge . 1315447827 . registration . Alun Howkins.

  11. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  12. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  13. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  14. 1950 . List of Parliamentary Labour candidates and election results, February 23rd, 1950 . Report of the Forty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party . 179–198.
  15. 1951 . List of Parliamentary Labour candidates and election results, 25th October, 1951 . Report of the Fiftieth Annual Conference of the Labour Party . 184–203.
  16. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  17. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  18. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  19. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  20. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  21. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]
  22. [Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]