Congress of Irish Unions
Encyclopedia
The Congress of Irish Unions was one of the two governing bodies that emerged after the split in the Irish trade union body the Irish Trade Union Congress
in 1945. The split developed under pressure from an anticipated fresh labour-state relationship, and alleged 'British domination in ITUC'. The CIU consisted entirely of Irish-based unions, and retained 77,500 workers, including the members of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
. The aim of the CIU was to create a trade union movement in Ireland which was Irish-based and nationalistic in outlook, in contrast to the more internationalist and socialist ITUC which had 146,000 members. The Government, contrary to expectation, did not legislate against the British unions, and from 1953 encouraged a détente between the two factions.
Both organisations amalgamated in 1959, becoming the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
.
Source: Donal Nevin et al, Trade Union Century, p. 439
Irish Trade Union Congress
The Irish Trade Union Congress was a union federation covering the island of Ireland.Until 1894, representatives of Irish trade unions attended the British Trades Union Congress. However, many felt that they had little impact on the British body, and decided to form their own federation. This...
in 1945. The split developed under pressure from an anticipated fresh labour-state relationship, and alleged 'British domination in ITUC'. The CIU consisted entirely of Irish-based unions, and retained 77,500 workers, including the members of the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
Irish Transport and General Workers' Union
The Irish Transport and General Workers Union, an Irish trade union, was founded by James Larkin in 1908 as a general union. Initially drawing its membership from branches of the Liverpool-based National Union of Dock Labourers, from which Larkin had been expelled, it grew to include workers in a...
. The aim of the CIU was to create a trade union movement in Ireland which was Irish-based and nationalistic in outlook, in contrast to the more internationalist and socialist ITUC which had 146,000 members. The Government, contrary to expectation, did not legislate against the British unions, and from 1953 encouraged a détente between the two factions.
Both organisations amalgamated in 1959, becoming the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions , formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trade Union Congress and the Congress of Irish Unions , is a national trade union centre, the umbrella organisation to which trade unions in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland affiliate.-Influence:There...
.
Presidents
- 1945: Leo Crawford
- 1946:
- 1947:
- 1948: William J. Whelan, Dublin Typographical Provident Society
- 1949: Owen Hynes, Building Workers' Trade Union
- 1950: Michael ColganMichael ColganMichael Colgan may refer to:*Michael Colgan , Northern Irish actor*Michael Colgan , biochemist and physiologist nutritionist*Michael Colgan , Irish theatre director and producer...
, Irish Bookbinders and Allied Trades Union - 1951: John Conroy, Irish Transport and General Workers Union
- 1952: Walter H. Beirne, Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers' and Allied Trade Assistants
- 1953: William McMullenWilliam McMullenWilliam McMullen , sometimes known as Billy McMullen, was an Irish trade unionist and politician.Born into a Protestant family in Belfast, McMullen began working in the shipyards and became an active trade unionist...
, Irish Transport and General Workers Union - 1954: Gerald Doyle, Operative Plasterers' Trade Society
- 1955: John O'Brien, Irish Engineering, Industrial and Electrical Trade Union
- 1956: Michael Mervyn, Electrical Trade Union Ireland
- 1957: Laurence Hudson, United House and Ships Painters' and Decorators' Trade Union of Ireland
- 1958–9: Terence Farrell, Irish Bookbinders and Allied Trades Union
Source: Donal Nevin et al, Trade Union Century, p. 439