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National Union of Blastfurnacemen

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NUB
National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades
Merged intoIron and Steel Trades Confederation
Founded1888
Dissolved1985
Headquarters93 Borough Road West, Middlesbrough[1]
Location
Members
25,000 (1918)
Key people
Joseph O'Hagan (General President)
AffiliationsTUC, Labour

The National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades (NUB) was a trade union in England and Wales which existed between 1888 and 1985. It represented process workers in the British iron and steel industry.

History

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Prior to the formation of the union, blastfurnacemen had been represented by the Associated Iron and Steel Workers of Great Britain, but this organisation concerned itself primarily with the puddlers.[2] In response, the Cleveland-based blastfurnacemen split away to form the "Cleveland Blastfurnacemen's Association" in 1878, followed in 1887 by a split in Cumberland. These two unions merged the following year to form the first National Association of Blastfurnacemen, which rapidly spread across the country.[2]

The union was re-founded in 1892 in Workington as the National Federation of Blastfurnacemen, with membership reaching 6,773 in 1898, then continuing a slow growth. In 1904, the organisation of the union devoted itself to organising in Cleveland and South Durham, while a new national federation of the same name was founded the following year, and the old union affiliated to it.[3] In 1909, it was renamed as the National Federation of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners and Kindred Trades, and membership topped 25,000 by 1918.[2] In 1921, the members of the federation united to form a single union, the "National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades".[3]

The union suffered a lengthy decline in membership, exacerbated by the closure of many foundries. By 1980, membership had fallen to less than 14,000, and it developed a close working relationship with the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC), which already organised blast furnace workers in Scotland.[1] In 1985, the NUB merged into the ISTC.[4]

Election results

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The union sponsored a Labour Party candidate in several Parliamentary elections.[5]

Election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position
1918 general election Middlesbrough Patrick Walls 2,710 14.2 3
1922 general election Newark Henry Nixon 8,378 35.2 2
1923 general election The Wrekin Henry Nixon 11,657 53.2 1
1924 general election The Wrekin Henry Nixon 11,132 44.4 2
1929 general election Gloucester Henry Nixon 10,548 37.4 2
1955 general election Tynemouth James Finegan 20,113 35.8 2
1964 general election Cleveland James Tinn 28,596 44.6 1
1966 general election Cleveland James Tinn 34,303 53.6 1
1970 general election Cleveland James Tinn 36,213 53.8 1
Feb 1974 general election Redcar James Tinn 28,252 59.8 1
Oct 1974 general election Redcar James Tinn 23,204 53.9 1
1979 general election Redcar James Tinn 25,470 53.7 1
1983 general election Redcar James Tinn 18,348 40.6 1

Leadership

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General Secretaries

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1889: William Snow
1892: Patrick Walls
1917: Thomas McKenna
1939: Ambrose Callighan
1948: Jack Owen
1953: Joseph O'Hagan
1968: James Barry
1970: Hector Smith
1982: Nick Leadley

General Presidents

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1921: Henry Nixon
1939: Ambrose Callighan
1939: Harry France
1948: Joseph O'Hagan
1953–1959: Thomas Walsh

References

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  1. ^ a b Eaton, Jack; Gill, Colin (1981). The Trade Union Directory. London: Pluto Press. pp. 135–137. ISBN 0861043502.
  2. ^ a b c Marsh, Arthur; Ryan, Victoria (1984). Historical Directory of Trade Unions: Engineering, shipbuilding and minor metal trades; coal mining and iron and steel; agriculture, fishing and chemicals. Vol. 2. Gower. p. 279. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b Marsh, Arthur Ivor; Ryan, Victoria (2009). Smethurst, John B. (ed.). Historical Directory of Trade Unions. Vol. 6. Ashgate Publishing. p. 279. ISBN 9780754693239. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  4. ^ Marsh, Arthur Ivor; Ryan, Victoria (2009). Smethurst, John B. (ed.). Historical Directory of Trade Unions. Vol. 6. Ashgate Publishing. p. 280. ISBN 9780754693239. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  5. ^ Parker, James (2017). Trade unions and the political culture of the Labour Party, 1931-1940 (PDF). Exeter: University of Exeter. p. 125.
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