Newsletter of the Badge Collectors Society Volume 2 Number 3

In this issue:

Bristol, West of England and South Wales Operatives Trade and Provident Society

Manchester Trade Union Week

Midland No 7 CWU (Burslem Delivery Office Dispute) National Union of Public Employees

The Lilywhites

Union of state servants and non-union badges

The Peoples March for Jobs

National Seamen’s Reform Movement

National Union of Unemployed and Workers 1 | P a g e

Contents Welcome 03 , West of England and South Wales Operatives Trade and Provident Society

“ 05 Manchester Trade Union Week

Promoting the TUBCS and spreading the word. 06 Midland No 7 CWU (Burslem Delivery Office Dispute) 2007/8 I am pleased to report that the following are receiving the TUBCS newsletter. 07 The National Union of Public Employees WCML and Peoples History Museum in Manchester, 13 Book Corner the MRC Warwick Archives, and 2 more collectors from Trade Unions. 15 The Lilywhites

TUC Libraries Collection also helped again using 20 Rare badges from Bernie Beagans’ Social media to circulate our newsletter collection This edition will be the last of 2020 and it is the 24 Can you identify these badges? intention to publish further editions on a quarterly basis, obviously this is dependent on contributions. 25 Union of state servants and non-union I would also welcome your views on whether a badges badge swap meeting should be arranged when we have the opportunity to do so. 27 International Workers Day-Labour Day- Mayday- 1st MAY This time around I have included books that are 28 The Peoples March for Jobs available relating to Trade Union Badges. 29 National Seamen’s Reform Movement

32 National Union of Unemployed and “ Workers 34 Early membership emblems

36 Badges for free and for sale [email protected]

38 Justice for mine workers’ campaign

41 Registration numbers and initials

The Trade Union Badge Collectors Society is sponsored by the Communication Workers Union

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Bristol, West of England and South Wales Operatives Trade and Provident Society

The Bristol, West of England and South Wales Operatives Trade and Provident Society

was founded in 1873 by T. M. Kelly, an Irishman and one-time building labourer. He received assistance from established local union leaders such as John Cawsey of Bristol Trades

Council.

Membership trebled in the five years up to 1900 making the union was

twice as large as the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers Union and just over half the size of the National Union of Gas and The union was open to all labourers and included General Labourers.

building labourers, deal and timber porters, sugar labourers, potters, dock The union held its first labourers, conference in July 1873 warehousemen and and it claimed 2,000 tanners. members in Bristol, Bath, Weston, Clevedon, Newport and . The conference elected Kelly as general secretary and set up a system of benefits for members including strike, By 1874 the union was accident, sickness and claiming 10,000 members burial. The union claimed in 46 branches and Kelly 800 members in Bristol was replaced by John which was where it Fox as general secretary. based its executive council.

By Andrew Redpath

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The union's membership peaked at 49,301 in 1910, and it then slowly declined, with most of the dock workers in the union transferring to the National Union of Dock, Riverside and General Workers in Great Britain and Ireland. In 1935, it still had 35,104 members.

The Historical Directory of Trade Unions states that it remained a functioning organisation until 1937. The organisation continued to function after 1937 but dropped the ‘Trades’ from its title becoming the Bristol, West of England and South Wales Provident Society. The Society de- registered as a trade union and from 1938 acted purely as a Friendly Society.

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MANCHESTER TRADE UNION WEEK

By Steve Baguley

The 3rd Manchester A few examples of the Trade Union Week was badges to held 1988. commemorate the event are shown, and with 30 Unions present Throughout the week, there must be more out there, please send in a Theatre, Films, Debates and Conferences took photo if you have other place and the Town hall examples. was filled with stands, exhibitions, photographs and banners with 30 Trades Unions in attendance.

Manchester played an important historical role in the social and economic development of the City.

Trade Union Week was conceived to promote the value of Trades Unions to the Community and the City as well as their members.

Trade Union membership has been increasing recently so the interest might be rekindled for another event, I never attended one, but by all-accounts a very good Union event, did you go to one?

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Midland No 7 CWU (Burslem Delivery

Office Dispute) 2007/8

This was not an ordinary At the time Royal Mail dispute, not for the 12 refused to go to ACAS.

CWU members

suspended, and not for the CWU members in There was a considerable

the Burslem DO. amount of evidence available that it was a

vindictive calculated Royal Mail suspended attack on the union and the 12 on 11th its members. September 2007, 2 were

Union officials, 3 were ex

Union officials, of There was considerable spurious charges of support within the Union, encouraging others not politically, TUCs and other

to cooperate with unions. There was a management, bullying What followed during the massive march & rally and harassment. The next few months was held on the 19th January workforce and the unprecedented 2008. agreements in place at Intimidation from Royal

the office had been Mail against its staff. under attack for some Of the 12 suspended 8

time leading up to the were reinstated, I after suspensions. But following successful appeal, only 3 remain in Industrial action ballots employment with Royal CWU members decided Mail. to show solidarity with

the 12 suspended colleagues and a long A video was produced of dispute followed which the march and also a started on 17th badge, if you would like December 2007, either I have some spare, including 5 weeks strike action.

The solidarity within the office was strong, even when 3 members were re-instated, they stayed solid until a resolution was reached for all of Steve Baguley [email protected] them.

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The National Union of Public Employees by Andrew Redpath In 1889 the Carmen’s & Albin Taylor an active Corporation Workers Roadmen’s Union of the member of the union Union in 1902, the Parish of Camberwell since 1891, with the Stockport Corporation was formed on the support of the union’s Gas Workers Union in suggestion of William membership ceded 1903, the City of Coote, a progressive from the union in Westminster Municipal member of Camberwell response to allegations Labour Union in1903, Parish Council. Coote of embezzlement and the Main Pipe was appointed General disorganisation within Layers & Jointers Secretary of the union the union in 1894 setting Association in 1904, the and began expanding up the County Hull Corporation it in to neighbouring Council Employees Employees Protection councils. Protection Association. Society in 1905, the Belfast Municipal

Employees & Other In 1890 the union Over the next five years Workers Society in1905, changed its name to the union expanded the Camberwell the South London both within and outside Municipal Labour Union Carmen’s and London changing its in 1906 and the Roadmen’s Union As name to the National Hackney Municipal well as expanding Association of County Labour Union in 1909. geographically the Authority Employees in

union expanded its 1899 and a year later to range of members to the Municipal include all council Employees Association. employees becoming the South London Vestry

Employees Labour Union in 1891 and later that year becoming the National Municipal and

Incorporated Vestry Employees Labour Union. As a result of a dispute between the General Secretary, Full Time The Municipal Officers and the Employees Association Executive Council in continued to expand 1907 Taylor and 3500 by absorbing a number members left the MEA of local municipal to form the Municipal unions. The Battersea Workers Society Vestry Employees Union renaming it the merged in 1900, the National Union of Corporation Corporation Workers in Workers Union in 1901, 1908. the Glasgow

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Wills retired in 1934 and Roberts own answer to Roberts saw the Bryn Roberts, a 36 - these questions were: potential in organising year old former miner county road workers “It is I believe fair to say was appointed who were unorganised, that in answer to these General Secretary. poorly paid, numerous questions, the danger Roberts headed a but spread in small of extinction, voluntary union of less than 13000 groups throughout the or otherwise, is greater if members and a deficit country and told the union stands still, of £450 15s. Prior to organisers to dedicate than would be the risk appointing Roberts the part of their week to of failure if an ambitious Executive Council had organisation programme of approved the roadworkers. expansion was borrowing of £1000 to keep the union afloat. embarked upon”.

By 1920 the union had Roberts could be seen grown to 16500 Roberts expansion plan as being ahead of his members however a consisted of appointing time in turning NUPE in to an organising union, year later in common Roberts posed three four organisers for the his instructions to with most unions’ questions to the London area, Roberts organisers were to membership had fallen Executive Council: Can research showed there recruit members, to 13500. Taylor retired the union survive were thousands of represent members and in 1921 and the union indefinitely upon its unorganised council gain recognition for appointed Jack Wills limited personnel: Will it workers in London and them. He was formerly General be ultimately the organisers role was Secretary of the committed to submerged by to get them into the establishing NUPE as the Building Workers competing trade union union. Roberts reported industrial union for all Industrial Union to lead forces? Will elements to the Executive public employees and the union. within NUPE successfully Council at the end of used well researched advocate 1934 that membership claims, extensive amalgamation with the in London had grown publicity and a National Union of by 50% to 12000. dedication to achieving General and Municipal national pay Workers or the Transport bargaining. and General Workers The union appointed a Union?. team of organisers to organise outside of the

London area.

A committed industrial trade unionist Wills aimed to make the NUCW the industrial union for those providing council services and at the unions conference on the 19th August 1928 1. Silver award badge. 2. For recruiting 50 members. 3. For recruiting 50 members. delegates voted to change the unions 4. National Merit award. 5. Southern & Eastern Division Merit award. name to the National 6. North West Division Merit award. Union of Public Employees to better reflect that aim.

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1968 also saw the appointment of Alan

Fisher as General Secretary. The start of bonus schemes in health and local government saw the

expansion of shop Branch officer badges. 1. Chairman 2. Chairperson 3. Secretary:

stewards in the union. white scroll 4. Secretary: blue scroll

By 1938 the membership had grown The increase in stewards to 40,200 but within 10 At local level area Ghetto. led to the union years the membership committees were commissioning a report had risen to 140,250 formed to bring into union lay structures and to 200,000 in 1958. branches from the and how to increase NUPE lost membership in same service together. participation in the the gas, electricity and union. The report forestry industries when adopted in 1974 led to employers and other the formation of a The appointment of trade unions combined range of lay structures Alan Fisher saw the to exclude NUPE from throughout the union union launch a these industries even including Divisional campaign against low though the union had (regional) councils and pay in the public thousands of members conferences. services and led to a in them. number of national disputes, bin workers in

1969, local government National Committees Sydney Hill was 1970, NHS 1973 and for Local Government, Rodney Bickerstaffe appointed General Nurses dispute in 1974. NHS, Universities and replaced Alan Fisher as Secretary in 1962 and Water. general secretary in although a less combative figure than 1982, NUPE The introduction of shop membership stood at Roberts continued the stewards, new lay expansion of the union 710,453. Bickerstaffe structures and national was popular with and became the first disputes led to NUPE activists and members. NUPE representative on membership reaching the TUC General 693,097 by 1978. Council.

NUPE was a major NUPE continued to player in the so called expand in local National Advisory Committees were set up ‘’. government, the NHS While some within the and began organising for major occupational groups. Labour Party blamed university support staff the unions and reaching 256,000 especially NUPE for it members in 1968. losing the general

election in 1979 . however the Labour government had the

highest unemployment figure for 40 years, prices rising by 100% and had refused to lift public service workers

from the low pay .ghetto. SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 9

The 1980’s saw a In response to the new NUPE successfully fought areas of recruitment. But number of conference badge the 1988 Annual the Royal College of the strike action at local motions on badges. The Conference supported Nursing’s attempt to level in these services Doncaster Hospitals Stockton Hospitals exclude Auxiliary Nursing slowed the spread of branch moved a motion instructing the grades from the Pay privatisation. successful motion at the union to re-instate the Review Body.

1982 Annual ‘de-luxe’ badge.

Conference that the union provide a free In 1983 NUPE water badge to every In 1982 NHS nurses and workers took part in member. strikes to obtain a 15% other staff complained pay rise. The water At the 1984 Annual about low pay and employers offered a 6% conference Stockport campaigned for a 12% rise but the government Hospitals branch moved pay rise. The reduced it to 4%. The a successful motion government offered 6.4% for nurses and unions eventually forced bring to the attention of the government in to the union the fact that health professionals and paying a 12.25% rise and members were worried 4% for all other staff. It a reduction of one hour that the triangular was massively rejected in the working week. badge may injure by NUPE members. patients and should be Under Rodney replaced with a round Bickerstaffe’s leadership badge. This resulted in The Thatcher NUPE lead the the issue of what government’s campaign for a became known as the privatisation programme minimum wage. NUPE in the NHS and Local ‘deluxe’ badge within had first advocated a the union. Government meant minimum wage in a membership loses for booklet, Low Pay and

the union in its two main how to End It, in 1974.

Following a series of In response to the strikes an offer of 7.5% to increased cost of nurses and health providing free badges professionals and 6% for to all members the all other health workers. union relaced the Once again, the offer ‘deluxe’ badge with a was rejected and strikes white round badge. continued. Eventually an increased government offer of 12.3% for nurses and

health professionals and

over 10% split over two years for all other staff was accepted. The government also set up

a Pay Review Body as

part of the deal and

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NUPE moved a motion on During Bickerstaff’s term the National Minimum as General Secretary the Wage at the 1982 Labour union introduced national Party conference but it and regional advisory was defeated on the committees for women block votes of some and race and a National unions. Equalities Officer.

Rodney Bickerstaffe NUPE’s 1998 National continued to argue for a Conference carried a minimum wage amongst branch motion on other union leaders. In investigating a merger 1985 NUPE gained the with the National and support of the Labour Local Government Party conference for a Officers Association. minimum wage and in NALGO’s national 1986 NUPE gained the conference approved a support of the TUC for similar motion. the minimum wage with only COHSE, ISTC, TGWU, AEU and EETPU voting The Thatcherite attacks against. on public services had meant a closer working

relationship between

In 1989 NUPE celebrated NUPE and NALGO at its centenary and national level and more Rodney Bickerstaffe last NUPE General Secretary produced a number of importantly between badges to mark the activists at local level. event.

The Confederation of Health Service Employees joined the amalgamation talks.

Members of all three unions voted to support

the merger and in 1993 was formed.

NUPE produced badges for the last NUPE conference, its 66th, in 1993 and also a badge to mark the end of NUPE.

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Corner

The Graphic Art of the The London Trade Union Enamel Badge, Ken Badge Collective have Sequin. Some images of produced “Behind the Trade Union Badges, Badge” available on eBay. Volume 1. 172 pages Prices vary, I paid £3.50. and Volume 2. 178 pages A brief history of British Trade Unions with formative dates, histories,

mergers and great Book Book photos of dozens of badges.

Not to be missed addition for collectors. Vol 1 £15. Vol 2 £10. £3 Postage and £6 for both. Contact Norman normanbiddlecombe@y ahoo.co.uk

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The Lilywhites

By Neil Towart

Ben Chifley, NSW The War’s demand for The Amalgamated Rail Locomotive Enginemen, more goods and services and Tramway Services Firemen and Cleaners from fewer people raised Assn (ARTSA) reacted to member and delegate the pressure at Eveleigh. this by claiming the (later the Australian In 1917 Acting Chief system would de- Federated Union of Railway Commissioner, humanise workers and Locomotive Enginemen, James Fraser blamed make a monotonous job Firemen and Cleaners “pernicious mischief worse. Assn) and Lilywhite, who makers” rather than poor became a Labor Prime management for low Minister later reflected: productivity, described the growing strength of unions as “barbarous”, and “diseased”. “I should not be a Member of this Parliament today if some tolerance had been There had been more extended to the men than 40 strikes at Eveleigh who took part in the Carriage works since the strike of 1917. All that beginning of the war and harsh and oppressive Eveleigh management treatment did, as far as I renewed its previous was concerned, was to efforts to introduce the transform me, with the Taylor Card System. In July 1916 The Co- assistance of my operator (railway union colleagues, from an newspaper) editorial ordinary engine driver stated that: into the Prime Minister of “Scientific this country.” management seeks to make the task of the worker more monotonous

1917 was a time of than it ever was, to take upheaval all around the from his work the last world. The Great War vestige of individuality, dragged on in the mud, and to make him a mere in 1916 there had been cog in the machinery of the Irish uprising, the production.” Russian Revolution and Fraser’s card-based worker revolts in many costing system was The system required a other countries. intended to ‘streamline’ foreman to record Australian society was production and measure detailed accounts of how not immune to this workers’ performance. each worker spent his turbulence. day.

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If work took too long to A central tool room was Eveleigh workers and Workers who stayed out on complete, or workers also established, and Randwick tramway strike became known as the were absent from their workers had to request workers walked off the ‘Lily Whites’. Three thousand station without the tools they needed. job on 2 August 1917 men had their employment authorisation, it was triggering the largest records marked “not to be However, workers saw noted on the card. If a industrial dispute in re-employed” or “dismissed this as an insult to their satisfactory explanation Australian history. Other by Proclamation”. This was skills. They felt the was not produced, an workers followed suit. despite the Railway centralised system employee’s pay was What became the Commissioners having removed their ability to docked. Additional General Strike engulfed agreed that “work shall be collaborate on tasks and foremen were required the nation as 97,000 rank resumed without resentment removed the teaching to complete this extra and file union members and employment offered role of more supervision. The process downed tools and without vindictiveness”. was called `Taylorism’, experienced workers. walked off work site after “I remember somebody after its American work site. retiring off a drilling machine advocate F.W. Taylor. in 12 Bay around the early

‘60s and somebody brought him along a lily. “

Management had Previously, workers had undertaken to not alter been allowed to make the working system for and maintain their own the duration of the war. set of specialist tools, A commitment soon which were stored in abandoned. their own lockers.

The IWW was active, at Workers had many the Randwick Railway grievances, including workshops in particular, widespread with members pasting retrenchments and slow down stickers onerous work schedules around the workshops, requiring locomotive which management crews to be on the job took down as fast as for unpaid periods. they could. After a while Added to this was the the IWW members general economic deposited a pile of them background of the war in the offices, saying that years with prices rising since the bosses seemed rapidly and wages so keen on having the stagnating at best. With stickers, they would save many having them the bother of volunteered for the collecting them. European War staff numbers were well down putting a lot of pressure on the workers. SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 16

A ‘lily white’ was a The two pins we have The Trolley, Draymen worker who went out on from the Lilywhite Assn and Carters Union, one strike and didn’t come are illustrated here. of whom, Merv back until the strike was Flanagan, was officially over, when the murdered by a scab railway re-employed during the strike, them usually at a lower produced their own pin. paid position.

The most well-known lilywhites are those who later became ALP parliamentarians. Ben Chifley was Prime Minister, Eddie Ward a

Federal MP and Joe

Cahill was long serving premier of NSW. All were sacked with DISMISSED by Proclamation stamped on their cards.

The Government called rural workers, school and university students and anyone else who would come, to replace the workers who were striking. Many did so and

the government produced a pin for these workers.

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Taronga Park Zoo had “Well the Unions might produced by Frontyard The strike saw many lose been opened in Sydney have remembered it Films their jobs and or seniority in 1916 and the more than the average https://www.frontyardfilm when they did return to government, looking for railways fellow. I was s.com.au/thegreatstrike1 work, regaining them places to house the amazed and wondered 917/ and is available as a when the Australian scabs who had come to what the heck it was all DVD or Vimeo on Labor Party won office in Sydney to take over the about, why they gave demand here 1925, then losing them jobs of the strikers, used him a lily…the railways https://www.roninfilms.co again in 1927, and the zoo area as a camp employees, have got m.au/feature/16810/grea gaining them in 1930. ground. long memories.” t-strike-1917.html Although a huge defeat Keith Johnson, Eveleigh Ultimately there were too for the labour movement employee many scabs and the at the time, the outcomes The Sydney Cricket power of the state in the 1920s included the Ground was also used prevailed, with the gaining of a 44-hour and the initials SCG soon workers gradually Unions from all industries week, sick leave and became well known as supported the strike, with returning. The coalmines workers compensation the Scabs Camp all goods declared black and waterside workers laws, no small things. Ground. remained out for longer if shifted by non-union than the railway workers employees in rail, road transport and shipping, but they too had to Coalmines, trains and relent. wharves stopped.

A feature film was made

of the dispute and was heavily censored and pretty much banned.

Fragments of the film have survived and were

found by the National Film and Sound Archive with the help of City of The Lilywhite Assn Sydney Historian Laila remained a semi-secret Ellmoos. You can see society so a list of their some of that footage members has not been here: seen. We have https://www.nfsa.gov.au/ certificates presented to great-strike-1917-film- some members. The brought-back-life-nfsa reverse of the one here illustrated there are faded signatures that A film commemorating were inscribed at the the 100th anniversary of dinner honouring the the dispute, which was recipient which is the remains the largest ever closest thing we have to in Australia by population membership list. size (demonstrations of over 100,000 people marched through The secrecy is perhaps Sydney’s streets at least illustrated by this once a week for six comment from the 1960s, weeks – this was over 40 years after the equivalent to one fifth of dispute the population) has been

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Badges from Bernie Beagan’s Collection

London Carmen’s Trade Union

London Carmen’s Trade London Carmen’s Trade Union Union No. 34 branch

Locomotive Steam Engineers and Firemen’s Friendly Society front and back of fob.

ASLEF and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers 1909 convention Leeds SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 20

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 21

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 22

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 23

Can you identify these badges?

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According to HDTU, Vol. 1, the Union of State Servants was formed in 1943 with 481 members. The membership had dwindled to 10 members The Union of State Servants: Non- in 1951, before the union ceased to exist in 1952. Union Badges by John Manley Thus quite a rare badge which may explain why it has not been seen or perhaps recognised (Citation: HC Deb, 29 circulars are actually contact John Manley, before. February 1944, c1232) printed on paper with who is also willing to

the Stationery Office purchase any spare Mr Denis Pritt, watermark? badges with similar Hammersmith North: “coded” letters/numbers. asked the Secretary of Sir J. Grigg: I am State for War whether he investigating the report is aware that the Union mentioned in the Non-Union badges in the of State Servants is Question, but I have not TU Collectors guide issuing its circulars on heard of any other official stationery and cases. If the hon. and There are a lot of badges distributing them in War learned Gentleman has, in the Trade Union guide Office envelopes perhaps he will let me which really shouldn’t be through the War Office have particulars. there as they have post; whether similar The badge is 22mm in nothing to do with trade facilities are given to any diameter, and is not in unions. I guess once they other trade unions; and the TU Collectors guide, have been added it is if not, why this and as far as I am difficult to remove them, organisation is given aware has not been but it is disappointing preferential treatment. seen elsewhere. when you see them being Sir J. Grigg: I am at stated as such and such a Identification of Badges present investigating a union on the internet, from the last TUBCS. report of the alleged especially e-bay. Perhaps misuse by an official of it would be a good idea The two badges “81 3” the Union of State to remove them in the and “SH EN” are not Servants of an official next addition of the guide trade union badges but envelope and the War as it is unprofessional to company employee Office postal facilities for continue having them in identification badges the transmission of the guide when we know from the Birmingham The only other reference correspondence and they are not union Small Arms (BSA) to the union that I have literature. I am not badges. Over the next company. The first part found is from the records aware of any other case few issues I’ll try and list is the factory site, and of Parliament (Hansard) of the alleged misuse of those that I know are not, the second a workshop which is produced in full official stationery by this although some have not within the factory, the below:- organisation. The use of been identified for certain identity of which is official stationery for yet. unknown to me (at the Oral Answers to other than official moment). "81 3" is the Questions — Union of purposes is strictly BSA factory at State Servants (Official forbidden. Stationery) Newcastle under Lyme, Mr. Pritt: Has the right and "SH EN" is the BSA – in the House of hon. Gentleman factory at Small Heath, Commons on 29th received a report and Birmingham. If any February 1944. will he look into it, that collectors want further information then

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 25

Women’s Guild of Empire

Described as the Winding & General

Engineers Union. It is actually The Women’s Guild of Empire formed by Flora Drummond, a former WSPU member.

W.G.E. PEACE UNITY CONCORD [RODEN 55 HATTON GARDEN LONDON E.C] Ladies Home Mission

Union The guild was a right- wing league, which Often described as the aimed to encourage Australian union; Liquor, patriotism among Hospitality and working class women. Miscellaneous Workers The Guild eventually Union. The Ladies Home had 40,000 members in Mission Union (LMHU) 30 branches. was created in 1889, and is now the Church

Pastoral Aid Society

CTU and CZTU

I think I have seen this badge described as the Cornish Tin Union, or Cornish Zinc and Tin

Union. An imaginative guess as they are more likely to be the Christian Temperance Union and W.G.E. PEACE UNITY CONCORD

(Tin Badge) Zionist Christian Temperance Union.

The Guild believed that strikes caused misery and unemployment and that trade unions should keep out of politics. It was formed just before the start of WW1 (1914 presumably) and still active in 1934.

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The Modern Churchmen’s After a few changes of Union name, the society was known as The Modern Described in the guide Churchmen’s Union from as the Manchester 1928 to 1986. The name Carters Association. The was then changed to registration number The Modern Church dates the badge to people’s Union and 1920. changed again in 2010 to Modern Church.

Co-operative Holiday Association

Listed as the Halifax Carters Association, I’m fairly certain that it is the

Co-operative Holiday The Modern Association which was Churchmen’s Union was founded in 1891, and founded in 1898 as the rebranded as the Churchmen's Union for Countrywide Holidays the Advancement of Association in 1964. I Liberal Religious. have also come across a similarly designed badge with the CIP monogram.

International Workers Day-Labour Day-Mayday- 1st MAY

Following on from the last edition a few more examples showing the importance of Mayday.

Thanks to David Yorke in Canada for the badges.

Canada U.S.A.

Hungary

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 27

Peoples March for Jobs by Steve Baguley

The Jarrow Crusaders in I have added a few 1936 inspired the 1981 more, no doubt there will March for Jobs which be many more, so please was initiated by share if you have Merseyside County different examples. Associations of Trade Unions. The route from Liverpool to London was supported nationally by a wide range of bodies, feeder marches were organised from Yorkshire & South Wales.

In 1983 The Welsh and Scottish TUCs organised the march from Glasgow to London and again feeder marches were organised from Lands’ End, Gt Yarmouth, Hull and Halifax and many more.

Some of the badges were shown in the TUBCS newsletter in 2004

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National Seamen’s Reform Movement by Paul Cosgrove

If the question was in seafarer’s terms this posed, `what, is a trade included:

union badge?’, • Reduced hours of collectors would be able work to rattle off a significant

list which none of us • Union Delegates would disagree with. on ships `When, is it a trade union badge? That is a more • Election of all puzzling proposition, with union officials

answers lacking the • Same menu for same clarity of the officers & crew former question. • Washing machines & fridges on all

In the Badge Guide, ships

there are numerous examples of trade union Broad Left badges. The text below was written Some have the full name by the late Bill Hunter (wwwbillhunterweb.org.uk) or initials of the union.

Others are less obvious. In the summer of 1960, In the 1960`s a common there were increasing phrase for disputes was demands from rank and Official or Unofficial. I Groupings within Trade file trade unionists for am delighted to have a Unions, such as above increases in wages and NSRM, badge within my share a commonality a cut in hours. collection. To me it truly better: representation, Merseyside Dockers represents militant and accountability, came out on strike for effective trade union campaigning, two weeks at the action which produced effectiveness and a truly beginning of July with results. We should not fighting agenda. these demands. be concerned with Official/Unofficial but rather think of actions as Effective/Ineffective. To Perhaps the most mark the 60th effective but least Anniversary of the 1960 known about Rank & File Strike, perhaps it`s time organisation was the, to include the badge National Seamen`s within the collectors’ Reform Movement. guide and make it an` Whilst all of the above official` trade union aspirations are accurate, badge!

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 29

This strike lasted two weeks. The union was forced to negotiate and came out with an

agreement for 44 hours in port and a 52-hour week when at sea. Sir Thomas Yates, the general secretary of the union described the agreement as a 'New charter for seafarers'.

The Reform Movement rejected the agreement, its leaders declaring: 'Yates apparently does not know that ships spend most of their time at sea.' A month after they had gone back to work the seafarers came out again.

Liverpool seafarers who The Seamen's Reform The struggle grew more walked off their ships Movement was set up to bitter. Paddy Neary, demanding four pounds fight for better conditions NSRM Chairman, was a month increase and a for seafarers and for sentenced to 44-hour week. At that reform of the union imprisonment by order of time, they worked a 56- including shop stewards a High Court judge under hour week. Their union, and committees on ships, the 1894 Merchant the National Union of regular branch meetings Shipping Act. This was an Seamen, was one of the at fixed times, and act which made absolute most bureaucratic of control of officials. the dictatorship of the unions. captain aboard ship, made protest or strikes a mutiny.

One of the first actions that the Liverpool strikers took was to pass unanimously, a vote of no confidence in their union Leadership. Time and again a resolution for a reduction of hours had been passed at the union's annual general meeting. Yet nothing had ever come of it. Seamen from other ports joined the Liverpool strikers.

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The imprisonment of councillor but had been an Secondly, we forced Yates Neary roused a storm unofficial leader of to negotiate against his among the rank and file of seafarers in 1948, told the wishes with this movement. the trade unions. Trade demonstration: 'We have Only two days after saying unionists marched to lit a flame today which will he would never have Brixton jail where Neary start a fire throughout anything to do with was imprisoned shouting: Britain until Neary, is unofficial organisations, he 'Stop jailing strikers – free released'. was meeting the acting Neary now!' The majority chairman and the secretary of British trade union of the National Seaman’s leaders, to their eternal The employers and the Reform Movement, and he shame, kept quiet. union were once again also had to humiliate himself by meeting Billy were compelled to begin negotiations. Neary was Hart who he expelled from On Merseyside, an action released and the seafarers the union in 1948. committee was formed by returned to work. Paddy the Liverpool Trades Neary, gave his opinions in Council and Labour Party an interview to Bill Hunter, This stands as a warning to (LTCP), the Merseyside a short time after he came all union leaders. The Confederation of out of jail: National Union of Seamen Shipbuilding and will never be the same. 'Let us be clear that while Engineering Unions and During this strike many the material gains of the the Merseyside Federation young seamen have strike were only small, we of Building Trade become politically and achieved several things. Operatives. trade union conscious and First, we have laid the these will be a great foundation for the strength in our fight.' National Seaman’s Reform It called meetings and a demonstration of 5,000 Movement. workers demanding freedom for Neary. Bill Hart, who was a Labour

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National Union of Unemployed and Workers

Does anyone know if this organisation produced a badge?

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The Glasgow Shipwrights' Society was formed in 1845. It ceased to exist in 1882 when the union became part of the Associated Shipwright’s Society.

Early In 1865, the "Alliance Cabinet Makers' Association" was formed. In 1901 it membership merged with the United Operative Cabinet and Chairmakers Society of emblems Scotland to form the National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association.

The union was formed in 1834 as the Society of Coachmakers, adopting the name National Union of Vehicle Builders in 1919. SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 34

Blast from the past

Although the quayside Another Gas Workers workers were in the badge has come to light union fishermen courtesy of Steve Lynch of themselves failed to Hull. This is a wonderful achieve lasting union item and certainly puts organisation. my own GMB related finds into the shade! Arthur Marsh, in his book The Historical Directory The Grimsby Fisherman’s of Trade Unions Volume Branch of the Gas 3 has not noted that the Workers and General Gas workers had Labourers tally belongs to attempted to recruit a collector of trawler fishermen, so Steve has items. Our thanks for the helped us very much. photocopy.

Examination of surviving A little research shows the records show that in the Grimsby Certified first quarter of 1904 branch income was Fisherman’s branch disappeared by 1905. £9/4/0. With weekly subs Sadly, there are poor being three pence, this records around this era so suggests that the branch I do not know when the was down to about 60. branch was set up.

The secretary J.B. Jones As Steve says, fishermen’s of 43 Lovett Road, wages were largely Cleethorpes resigned dependent on the after April – the branch number of boxes, “kits”, of income fell to £4/0/0 in fish landed. the June quarter (about 26 members) and had vanished by the September quarter.

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Free badges including postage & packing

email [email protected]

Badges from Steve Baguley, Bernie Beagan, Andrew Redpath and Chris Weavers

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Badges for sale

I have a lot of spare badges for sale. I regularly produce a list of badges and send them to collectors, if you want to be on my mail list send your email address to me at [email protected]

Peter Carter

“LOOK”

A large number of Trade Union Badges for sale.

Ideal if you are new to the collecting fraternity or have a few gaps to fill.

All badges are priced at £2-£5 so if you are interested contact Bernie Beagan GFTU badges for sale. At [email protected]

The listed badges from GFTU are priced at £10 each including P&P

And are available from there website, htpps://gftu.org.uk/gftu- shop/ They don’t issue many badges so a good opportunity to add to your collection.

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Membership cards

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Justice for Mineworkers Campaign

The NUM National Justice Our campaign was Only a small number of miners had been for Mineworkers issue an formed at the 1985 appeal for donations Labour Conference in dismissed for offenses every Christmas raising the aftermath of the against the person or money for their 1984/85 Miners' strike damage to property. victimised members and and was launched at Indeed, many miners their families. the Albert Hall, London, since cleared by the in October 1986. courts were not re- They also campaign all instated and neither year round, attending were many more who many Galas, and union During the strike 20,000 successfully won their events, with stalls and people were injured or cases for unfair dismissal publicity material. hospitalised (including at industrial tribunals. Of However, this year is very NUM President Arthur those who were different, which is why, if Scargill). 200 served time classified as sacked, few possible, we need to in prison or custody. Two had their jobs back with help out as much as we were killed on picket British Coal. can over and above lines, three died digging other contributions and for coal during the help we can give. winter and 966 were Many were even sacked blacklisted from getting WHY, because their any work outside the normal activities at these coal industry. Many of events have all been The objectives of the those sacked were cancelled with fund campaign from its active and, we contend, raising being limited. beginning were to keep were clear victims of I have spoken with the the issue of those British Coal's attempts to NUM in Leigh and they victimised miners to the stifle them, to remove agreed I could use their forefront of the labour them from the industry website material which I and trade union and thereby reduce the have reproduced in this movement and to raise branch officials’ edition of our newsletter money to alleviate effectiveness of the NUM to try and help their just hardship among the as a trade union. cause, check it out. families of the victimised. The Justice Campaign is The 1984/5 strike is over, supported by Labour their hardship and the Party and TUC injustices suffered are conferences and many not. national & regional

Help out if you can, visit unions. the shop, we can be assured all donations will be most appreciated. Remember, 966 men were originally sacked for no more than SOLIDARITY honouring picket lines, defending their jobs and

pit communities, their . class and the future of their children.

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Some branch activists Although there for the were even sacked after sacked men to return to the return to work on work we are still raising March 5th 1985. Those money every year for the they couldn't get during ones who still haven't the strike they made found full employment. Statistics on victimisation by NUM Area (numbers dismissed in the dispute) certain they got And we are no mines left afterwards. are also fighting for the 11 reinstatement of their Coke men After the return to work interrupted pensions. on March 5th 1985 the COSA (NCB staff employees) 1 Tories wreaked havoc, Durham 150 not just on the on the Kent 47 mining industry, but also on the civil rights of the Leicestershire 0 966 miners who had Midlands 22 been sacked during the North Derbyshire 76 strike by refusing to let them return to their Northumberland 29 rightful place of work. North Wales 0

North Western 2 Many of the men were Nottingham 31 sacked simply for being union activists. Yet this Power Group 2 was one of the most Scotland 206 principled strike ever, a strike not for money, but South Derbyshire 0 for jobs, in which 55-year South Wales 74 old men went without Yorkshire 306 their livelihood for a year so that a 25-year-old and Total 957 his family might have a job with a future to look forward to.

Remember, the 966 men who were sacked during that strike set off a chain reaction of similar victimization of trades unionists after a deliberately provoked strike. Wapping with 6,000, P&O with 1,000 were just the most notable and matters culminated with the sacking of trade union members at GCHQ, Cheltenham, for merely belonging to a trade union. If anyone has forgotten what the 1984/85 miners' strike Civil was all about, let just one sobering fact sink in for a moment or two – at the beginning of the strike there were 170 coal SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 40 mines in Britain. By the end of 2003 there were just 15. Now there are

Using registration numbers to date badges by Peter Carter

For all of my adult life I numbers on them. There is an ASC&J have been interested Could this help me to badges and a Friendly (perhaps to excess) in date the badge itself? Society of Iron founders, trade union badges and both have a badge other items of union back that perhaps only For a long time, I history. required one weld believed this and in fact whereas earlier badge

was grateful to Trevor back studs appear to Like other collectors the Pritchard when the have needed two welds th date of a badge 5 Edition of the Badge e.g. the Amalgamated especially an old badge Collectors Guide Carters and Lurrymen’s would become more included as Appendix B. Union (itself dating from and more important to information that at the the 1890s) me as sometimes it time, I thought would be might tell something helpful to collectors. about the history of the Contrariwise, on rare union as well as the occasions the When I saw that Steve history of the badge. registration number can Baguley had reissued be helpful. 63832 is also

those same notes in the on the back of a badge A good example of this latest newsletter, I from the National Motor came up recently. I realised that I needed Mechanics & Drivers have a metal badge to do more to cancel Union. This union is from a well recorded the view that referred to in the Guide union BUT the Registration numbers BUT there is no further information on the could help identify the information in any of the badge back tells us union badge and its six volumes of the something that perhaps date of manufacture. Historical Directory of we never knew about Except in very, very, Trade Unions! Equally the life of the union itself. limited circumstance this the reference to Tutill on The badge back tells the will not happen. the back of my Miners observer that the badge union badge suggests itself was made by that this organisation Registration numbers George Tutills of City Rd had a longer life than is are purely about the London. From the Tutills generally believed. manufacturing process records they only moved used and if a new to City Rd in 1879. So, process is used the could this tell us that the A final note. To confuse maker would register union existed in 1879? ourselves even more! the process to possibly claim a copyright on the Could the Motor Mechanics badge be However, the union itself process itself. from a commonwealth was considered to have country and not the UK; collapsed in the 1840s or I know of at least three could there have been possibly the 1850s!! badges (different another miner’s

unions) all with the same organisation in 1879 that was nothing to do with Many years ago, I registration number i.e., the Miners Association of discovered to my own 638232. the 1840s despite using personal delight that the same name! some union badges had We will probably never know! SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 41

A set of NUR badges featured on eBay The ongoing process of identifying Trade Union badges continues, not just about dates and makers, but also about just initials. At some stage of our collecting endeavours we would have seen and picked up badges with just initials, hoping it’s a great find and addition to our collections, occasionally we might be lucky.

Over the years in previous TUBCS news you would have seen photos of unidentified badges, collectors looking for assistance in identifying their finds, and we continue to do so now, in fact such badges in the last edition that were shown have been identified by one of our members.

So, delving in to the TUBCS archives I found an article from Trevor which was first in issued in 2000, and a photo of some great badges from the collection belonging to Norman Biddlecombe which emphasises exactly the point, Initials matter, it really shows what we could possibly pick up.

It is becoming more and more difficult to find Trade Union badges apart from eBay, so eyes peeled! Worth picking up the initials!

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Description of badges not in the guide

SHAPE: SIZE: Horizontal …………. Millimetres

Vertical …………. Millimetres

ENAMEL COLOURS: 1. (work from outside in 2.

Or use picture to 3. Drawing, photocopy or scan of badge indicate) 4. 5. 6.

BADGE COMPOSITION: White Metal Chrome Gilt Brass Sterling Silver

Hall Mark Silver Gold Tin

WORDING (state where on badge)

Position of wording: Clockwise Otherwise Use abbreviations ONLY if used on badge. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………….. OTHER FEATURES (i.e. Quarterly Badge) ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………….

SYMBOLS OF SOLIDARITY 45 Please send to [email protected]