General Union of Textile Workers

The General Union of Textile Workers was a trade union representing textile workers in England, most of its members being weavers in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

The union was founded in 1881 following a strike at Newsome Mills in Huddersfield. Initially known as the Huddersfield and District Power Loom Weavers' Association, it led a major strike of 4,000 weavers for thirteen weeks in 1883. The strike was ultimately defeated; although a pay scale was agreed, this was a maximum rate, and mills could pay lower rates. The union added "Woollen Operatives" to its name, gradually attracting a more diverse membership. It also began accepting members elsewhere in the West Riding, and in 1894 became the West Riding of Yorkshire Power Loom Weavers' Association, with membership over 3,000.^[1]

Allen Gee was the union's general secretary in the 1890s; it survived through a decline to only 2,300 members in 1898, but changed its name to the General Union of Weavers and Textile Workers the following year. Now seeing itself as an industrial union accepting as members all workers in the industry, this marked the start of rapid growth. Membership rose to 4,500 in 1910, of which almost half were women - unusual for a union of the period - then to 13,400 in 1914, when it became the "General Union of Textile Workers", and 64,000 by 1918.^[1]

In 1922, the union merged with the National Society of Dyers and Finishers and the Yeadon and Guiseley and District Factory Workers Union, forming the National Union of Textile Workers.^[1]

References

1. Arthur Marsh, Victoria Ryan and John B. Smethurst, Historical Directory of British Trade Unions, vol.4, p.245