Bathurst Trade Union
Encyclopedia
The Bathurst Trade Union was the first trade union
organization in Bathurst
, today Banjul, the capital of The Gambia
. It was founded by Edward Francis Small
in 1929, out of the Carpenters' and Shipwrights' Society. Small became the chairman of BTU. In October the same year the BTU was joined by other craftsmen associations. BTU received support from the British Labour Research Department
and the British section of the League against Imperialism
. In the fall of 1929, BTU led a 3-week strike. Its membership grew rapidly. By April 1930 it claimed a membership of around 1000.
However, the BTU was torn apart by internal divisions. In 1932 Small was challenged over the BTU leadership by J. L. Njie. The conflict had both political and ethnic aspects (Njie was a Wolof
). Njie had the support of the conservative elites of the city, who were uncomfortable with Small's activism. In March 1933, Njie registered the BTU with himself as its chairman. Small tried to regain power of the BTU for two years, but in May 1935 he broke away and formed the Gambia Labour Union instead.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
organization in Bathurst
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
, today Banjul, the capital of The Gambia
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
. It was founded by Edward Francis Small
Edward Francis Small
Edward Francis Small was a Gambian trade unionist and politician. The founder of the country's first trade union, he was the first Gambian to be directly elected to the legislative council or to be appointed to the executive council, and is widely regarded as the father of Gambian...
in 1929, out of the Carpenters' and Shipwrights' Society. Small became the chairman of BTU. In October the same year the BTU was joined by other craftsmen associations. BTU received support from the British Labour Research Department
Labour Research Department
The Labour Research Department is an independent trade union based research organisation, based in London, that provides information to support trade union activity and campaigns. LRD's publications Labour Research, Bargaining Report, Fact Service and LRD Booklets, along with an Enquiry Service...
and the British section of the League against Imperialism
League against Imperialism
The League against Imperialism was founded in the Egmont Palace in Brussels, Belgium, on February 10, 1927, in presence of 175 delegates, among which 107 came from 37 countries under colonial rule. The Congress aimed at creating a "mass anti-imperialist movement" at a world scale, and was...
. In the fall of 1929, BTU led a 3-week strike. Its membership grew rapidly. By April 1930 it claimed a membership of around 1000.
However, the BTU was torn apart by internal divisions. In 1932 Small was challenged over the BTU leadership by J. L. Njie. The conflict had both political and ethnic aspects (Njie was a Wolof
Wolof people
The Wolof are an ethnic group found in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania.In Senegal, the Wolof form an ethnic plurality with about 43.3% of the population are Wolofs...
). Njie had the support of the conservative elites of the city, who were uncomfortable with Small's activism. In March 1933, Njie registered the BTU with himself as its chairman. Small tried to regain power of the BTU for two years, but in May 1935 he broke away and formed the Gambia Labour Union instead.