Belfast Trades Council, also known as Belfast & District Trades Union Council, brings together trade unionists in and around Belfast in Northern Ireland.
The council was founded on 29 October 1881 at a meeting of eleven trade unionists. Their immediate aim was to support an ongoing strike of linen tenters, who were facing a 10% cut in their wages.[1] It was the second trades council to be established in Ireland, after the Cork Workers' Council.[2]
In its early years, the council was dominated by its president, Samuel Munro, and secretary Alexander Bowman. Most of its affiliates were small, local unions representing skilled workers.[2] It affiliated to the British Trades Union Congress in 1882,[3] but achieved little and struggled to survive during the 1880s. It was boosted by affiliations from new unions of unskilled workers during the 1890s. However, their representatives were more radical, and William Walker and John Murphy became prominent, persuading the council to affiliate to the British Labour Representation Committee and run a joint newspaper, the Belfast Labour Chronicle, with their Belfast Labour Representation Committee.[2]
The council was involved in the Irish Trades Union Congress (ITUC) from its foundation, in 1894, although initially it favoured also retaining links with the British Trades Union Congress (TUC). These ended the following year, when the TUC voted to exclude trades councils from direct members, and the council thereafter devoted significant time to the ITUC. By 1897, it was the largest trades council in Ireland, representing 17,500 members in 56 affiliates, and that year, it sponsored six successful candidates for the Belfast Corporation.[4]
The council led opposition to conscription during World War I, organising a meeting of 20,000 people on the issue. It was particularly prominent during the Belfast strike, 1919, when it described itself as a "Council of Action" and largely controlled the movement of goods in the city.[5]
Ann McKee, Belfast and District Trades Union Council: the First Hundred Years (1881—1981)
October 19, 2023
belfast, trades, council, also, known, belfast, district, trades, union, council, brings, together, trade, unionists, around, belfast, northern, ireland, contents, history, secretaries, presidents, references, further, readinghistory, editthe, council, founded. Belfast Trades Council also known as Belfast amp District Trades Union Council brings together trade unionists in and around Belfast in Northern Ireland Contents 1 History 2 Secretaries 3 Presidents 4 References 5 Further readingHistory EditThe council was founded on 29 October 1881 at a meeting of eleven trade unionists Their immediate aim was to support an ongoing strike of linen tenters who were facing a 10 cut in their wages 1 It was the second trades council to be established in Ireland after the Cork Workers Council 2 In its early years the council was dominated by its president Samuel Munro and secretary Alexander Bowman Most of its affiliates were small local unions representing skilled workers 2 It affiliated to the British Trades Union Congress in 1882 3 but achieved little and struggled to survive during the 1880s It was boosted by affiliations from new unions of unskilled workers during the 1890s However their representatives were more radical and William Walker and John Murphy became prominent persuading the council to affiliate to the British Labour Representation Committee and run a joint newspaper the Belfast Labour Chronicle with their Belfast Labour Representation Committee 2 The council was involved in the Irish Trades Union Congress ITUC from its foundation in 1894 although initially it favoured also retaining links with the British Trades Union Congress TUC These ended the following year when the TUC voted to exclude trades councils from direct members and the council thereafter devoted significant time to the ITUC By 1897 it was the largest trades council in Ireland representing 17 500 members in 56 affiliates and that year it sponsored six successful candidates for the Belfast Corporation 4 The council led opposition to conscription during World War I organising a meeting of 20 000 people on the issue It was particularly prominent during the Belfast strike 1919 when it described itself as a Council of Action and largely controlled the movement of goods in the city 5 During the 1930s the council worked with the Northern Ireland Labour Party NILP to campaign against unemployment and for improved benefits for unemployed workers 6 By the 1940s members of the Communist Party of Northern Ireland held leading roles on the council 7 In 1965 it organised a conference on civil rights and with various other groups it formed the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association the following year 8 Secretaries Edit1881 Alexander Bowman 1886 Robert Meharg as of 1893 Richard Sheldon 1890s Alex Taylor 1899 William Walker 1903 John Murphy 1909 David Robb Campbell c 1920 c 1930 Robert Morrow c 1945 John McAteer 1947 Betty Sinclair 1975 1980s A Hope 1990s Desi Murray 2000s Kevin DohertyPresidents Edit1881 Samuel Munro 1886 John O Clohissey 1889 W J Leahy 1890 John Martin 1895 Joseph Taylor 1907 W J Murray 1910s H T Whitley 1920s Dawson Gordon 1980s Joe Cooper Liam McBrinn 1990s Pearce McKenna Brian Campfield 2010s Paddy MackelReferences Edit Eugene McEldowney Council founded in 1881 Irish Times 2 November 1881 a b c Peter Collins The Belfast Labour Movement 1881 1921 Nordirland in Geschichte und Gegenwart pp 82 98 Ian Budge and Cornelius O Leary Belfast Approach to Crisis A Study of Belfast Politics 1613 1970 p 133 O Connor Emmet 1992 A Labour History of Ireland Goldenbridge Gill and Macmillan pp 57 61 ISBN 0717120163 Ed Micheal O Flynn Odette Clarke and Paul Hayes Marxist Perspectives on Irish Society pp 10 12 Aaron Edwards A History of the Northern Ireland Labour Party p 16 Communist stooge allegation Irish Times 25 September 1950 Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association We Shall Overcome The History of the Struggle for Civil Rights in Northern Ireland 1968 1978Further reading EditAnn McKee Belfast and District Trades Union Council the First Hundred Years 1881 1981 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Belfast Trades Council amp oldid 1104689841, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
