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The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the '''TGWU''' and the '''T&G''', is one of the largest General Trade Union s in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it is known as the '''Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union''' ('''ATGWU''') - with 900,000 members (and was once the largest trade union in the world). It was founded in 1922 , and its current General Secretary is Tony Woodley . CAMPAIGNING On May 25 , 2005 , the TGWU called the Government's plans for a British National Identity Card 'an enormous, costly and unnecessary diversion' despite their General Secretary and other representatives supporting its inclusion in the Labour Party 's 2005 Manifesto . The union spearheaded the campaign for the registration of Gangmaster s in the UK, sponsoring an Act Of Parliament which received the Royal Assent on 8th July 2004. {Link without Title} In a similar vein the union is campaigning for the offence of corporate killing to be incorporated into UK law. Such a law would ensure that:
HISTORY At the time of its creation in 1922, the TGWU was the largest and most ambitious amalgamation brought about within trade unionism. Its structure combined regional organisation, based on Districts and Areas, with committee organisation by occupation, based on six broad Trade Groups. Trade groups are not closely linked to trades; they are elected by activists and may represent trades in clear-cut cases. Officials of the union are grouped by region, and may be asked to serve each or any trade group. The amalgamating unions were: Docks Group
Waterways Group Administrative, Clerical and Supervisory Group noted for an enquiry by the Certification Office in 2006 into board members who had joined the union within six months of being elected to senior post
Passenger Services and Road Transport (Commercial) Groups
General Workers' Group The Scottish Union Of Dock Labourers and National Union Of Dock, Riverside And General Workers In Great Britain And Ireland initially voted not to amalgamate, but joined before the end of 1922 nonetheless. The Greenock Sugar Porters' Union, Dundee Flax and Jute Stowers' Society, National Union of British Fishermen, and Belfast Breadservers' Association had also joined before the end of the year. Several specialised unions have voted to merge with the TGWU since its inception, the most recent being the Community And Youth Workers' Union , whose members approved the merger on 13 September 2006 , with the formal merger being approved by the Trades Union Certification Officer on 8 January 2007 . For a full list, see the List Of TGWU Amalgamations . RECENT CONTROVERSY During the last two months of 2006, the TGWU came in for criticism from arms control campaigners and environmental economists for supporting arms company co-operated fully with Lord Pottinger in arguing for short-term contracts on Eurofighter aircraft purchases by Saudi Arabia and for their continued licensing. THE FUTURE During , The Times reported that the name Unite had been chosen. {Link without Title} The Transport and General Workers' Union is now ''Organising for the Future'' by developing a strategy for growth. Nearly one hundred organisers plan to campaign in workplaces to build union power through collective strength and change the union from a servicing and declining union to an organising and growing one. AFFILIATIONS
GENERAL SECRETARIES
AMALGAMATIONS The list of TGWU Amalgamations highlights the scale of the TGWU policy of mergers, amalgamations and transfers of engagements which have contributed to its membership growth and the spread of its membership base. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
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