National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association
The National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association (NAFTA) was a trade union representing workers involved in making furniture in the United Kingdom.
| Predecessor | Alliance Cabinet Makers' Association United Operative Cabinet and Chairmakers Society of Scotland |
|---|---|
| Merged into | National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives |
| Founded | 1902 |
| Dissolved | 1946 |
| Headquarters | 219 Golders Green Road, London |
| Location |
|
Members | 29,263 (1946) |
Key people | Alex Gossip, Alf Tomkins |
| Affiliations | TUC, ITUC, Labour |
History
The union was founded in 1902 from the merger of the Alliance Cabinet Makers' Association and the United Operative Cabinet and Chairmakers Society of Scotland. In 1911, the Amalgamated Society of Gilders and Amalgamated Society of French Polishers both merged into the new organisation.[1] In 1907, the union had 7,007 members.[2]
In 1946, the union merged with the Amalgamated Union of Upholsterers to form the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives.[1]
Election results
In its early years, the union sponsored several Labour Party candidates, some of whom won election.
| Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 general election | Leeds East | James O'Grady | 4,299 | 66.1 | 1[3] |
| 1910 Jan general election | Leeds East | James O'Grady | 5,873 | 71.8 | 1 |
| 1910 Dec general election | Leeds East | James O'Grady | 4,028 | 68.0 | 1 |
| 1918 general election | Leeds South East | James O'Grady | unopposed | N/A | 1[4] |
| 1918 general election | Plymouth Devonport | Fred Bramley | 4,115 | 19.3 | 2 |
| 1923 general election | Coventry | A. A. Purcell | 16,346 | 34.2 | 1[5] |
| 1924 general election | Coventry | A. A. Purcell | 17,888 | 33.4 | 2 |
| 1925 by-election | Forest of Dean | A. A. Purcell | 11,629 | 48.5 | 1[5] |
| 1929 general election | Hammersmith North | James Patrick Gardner | 17,601 | 56.2 | 1 |
Leadership
General Secretaries
- 1902: Harry Ham
- 1905: Alex Gossip[6]
- 1941: Alf Tomkins[6]
Parliamentary Secretaries
- 1906: James O'Grady
- 1919: James Patrick Gardner
- 1937: F. E. Sweetman
Assistant General Secretaries
- 1907: H. A. Urie
- 1937: Alf Tomkins
- 1946: Alf Bickness
References
- "Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union", Working Class Movement Library
- Report on Trade Unions in 1905-1907. London: Board of Trade. 1909. p. 82-101.
- Frank Bealey and Henry Pelling, Labour and Politics, 1900-1906, pp.290-292
- Labour Year Book (1919), pp.12-14
- Howell, David (2014). Mosley and British Politics 1918-32: Oswald’s Odyssey. Springer. ISBN 1137456396.
- Victor Leonard Allen, Power in Trade Unions: A Study of Their Organization in Great Britain, p.284
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