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| Community | |
| Founded | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Members | 35,000 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Affiliation | TUC, STUC |
| Key people | Michael Leahy OBE, General Secretary |
| Office location | London, England |
| Website | www.community-tu.org |
Community is a British trade union representing workers in the clothing, textiles, steel and betting industries as well as workers with disabilities. Community was formed in 2004 by the merger of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) and the National Union of Knitwear, Footwear & Apparel Trades (KFAT). The merger occurred on the 1st of July 2004 and the Union was formally launched on the 6th of September 2004. Further mergers include the National Union of Domestic Appliances and General Operatives (NUDAGO) in 2006. The National League of the Blind and Disabled merged with the ISTC in 1999, and remains a distinct branch within Community servicing members with a disability. Community wholly owns Communitas, a not-for-profit company offering training and development opportunities. Community is affiliated to the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC). The most prominent member of Community is British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown[1].
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History
Iron and Steel Trades Confederation The Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) was constituted on the 1st of January 1917 from a merger of the British Steel Smelters, Mill, Iron and Tinplate Workers, The Associated Iron and Steel Workers of Great Britain and the National Steel Workers’ Association Engineering and Labour League[2]. The ISTC was later joined by the Amalgamated Association of Steel & Iron Workers of Great Britain in 1920 and the Tin and Sheet Millmens Association in 1921. The Wire Workers Union joined in 1922, but withdrew in 1924. The Wire Workers Union rejoined in 1991. In 1985 the National Union of Blast-furnace-men joined the ISTC. However the decline of British manufacturing jobs in these industries led the union to diversify its membership merging with the National League of the Blind and Disabled (NLBD) in 1999 and the Power Loom Carpet Weavers and Textile Workers Union (PLCWTWU) in 2000. National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades KFAT The National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades (KFAT) was formed in 1991 by the merger of the National Union of Hosiery and Knitwear Workers (NUHKW) with National Union of Footwear, Leather and Allied Trades (NUFLAT). NUFLAT had been formed in 1873 following a meeting of various regional associations. The history of the NUHKW can be traced back to 1776 and the formation of the Stocking Makers Association in Nottingham. National League of the Blind and the Disabled The NLBD is the oldest organisation of disabled people in the world. It was formed as a trade union in 1899. The NLBD campaigned for disabled people from formation and in 1920 lobbied parliament successfully to introduce the world's first piece of blind person specific legislation, the 1920 blind person act.This tradition of advocacy coontributed to the creation of the Disability Rights Commission and the 2005 Disability Discrimination Act.
Structure
Community is a national union which is organised into 8 regions. Community is governed by the National Executive Council NEC of 21 members, the general secretary and deputy general secretary. This body is elected for three year terms with each region being allocated NEC seats proportionally. There are also 3 seats reserved for women members, one for members with disabilities and one for ethnic or minority members. The day to day business of the union is conducted by the general secretary, deputy general secretary, two national officers and four regional directors.
General Secretaries
General Secretaries are elected for 5 year terms by the ordinary members of the union. The Current General Secretary is Michael J. Leahy OBE.
External links
| Organized Labour Portal |
