The president of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism.
History Initially, the post of president was elected at the annual Trades Union Congress (TUC) itself, and would serve just for the duration of the congress. Early standing orders stated that preference had to be given to a candidate from the city where the congress was being held; they were not necessarily well-known figures.Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1874 Trades Union Congress
In 1900, the standing orders were changed to state that the presidency would be filled by the person who had chaired the Parliamentary Committee over the previous year. As a result, before 1900, numerous people served as chair of the Parliamentary Committee without becoming president; after this date, presidents were prominent figures in the national trade union movement.Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1900 Trades Union Congress, pp.94-95 The Parliamentary Committee was replaced by the General Council in 1921, and the system continued.
There were still rare occasions where the chair did not become president. Margaret Bondfield, who was elected as chair in 1923, resigned to accept a government post before becoming president.Daniel Fairchild Calhoun, The United Front!: The TUC and the Russians, 1923-1928, p.46 George Isaacs, who was elected as chair in 1944, similarly resigned to accept a government post, and was replaced by the vice-president, Ebby Edwards, who had presided over the previous year's congress.Trades Union Congress, Annual Report of the 1945 Trades Union Congress, p.23
In recent years, the president has once more been elected at the annual congress, but now officially fills the office for the remainder of the year and then presides over the following year's conference (in the years listed below).
Presidents to 1899
YearNameUnion1868Manchester and Salford Trades Council1869Flint Glass Makers Friendly Society1871London Working Men's Association1872Organised Trades Association1873Leeds Trades Council1874Sheffield Federated Trades Council1875Liverpool Trades Council1875Scottish Typographical Association1876Newcastle Trades Council1877Leicester Trades Council1878Bristol Trades Council1879Edinburgh and District Trades Council1880Friendly Society of Ironfounders1881Operative Bricklayers' Society1882Amalgamated Society of Engineers1883Amalgamated Society of Lithographic Printers1884Aberdeen Trades Council1885Typographical Association1886Typographical Association1887Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners1888Yorkshire United Skip, Basket and Hamper Makers Society1889Dundee Trades Council1890General Union of Carpenters and Joiners1891Northumberland Miners' Association1892British Steel Smelters Association1893Typographical Association1894Amalgamated Society of Engineers1895Associated Shipwrights' Society1896Edinburgh Trades Council1897National Amalgamated Association of Tin Plate Workers of Great Britain1898Amalgamated Union of Cabinet Makers1899Typographical Association
Presidents from 1900
YearNameUnion1900National Amalgamated Society of House and Ship Painters1901London Society of Compositors1902River Thames Barge Builders Trades Union1903National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives1904Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants1905National Union of Dock Labourers1906United Society of Boilermakers1907Bolton Cotton Spinners Association1908Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers1909Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers1910Miners Federation of Great Britain1911Amalgamated Association of Card and Blowing Room Operatives1912National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers1913Amalgamated Society of Brassworkers1915National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks1916National Transport Workers Federation1917United Society of Boilermakers1918Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers1919Postmen's Federation1920National Union of Railwaymen1921National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives1922National Union of Agricultural Workers1923Musicians Union1924National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association1925Amalgamated Engineering Union1926Iron and Steel Trades Confederation1927Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers1928National Union of Textile Workers1929Transport and General Workers Union1930Transport and General Workers Union1931National Union of General and Municipal Workers1932Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen1933Railway Clerks' Association1934National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers1935National Union of Gold, Silver and Allied Trades1936United Patternmakers Association1937Transport and General Workers Union1938National Union of Clerks and Administrative Workers1939National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers1940National Union of Agricultural Workers1941Mental Hospital and Institutional Workers Union1942Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers1943National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers1944Miners Federation of Great Britain1945National Union of Mineworkers1946National Union of General and Municipal Workers1947Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen1948Transport and General Workers Union1949National Union of Mineworkers1950National Union of General and Municipal Workers1951National Association of Card, Blowing and Ring Room Operatives1952Transport and General Workers Union1953National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees1954Amalgamated Engineering Union1955Union of Post Office Workers1956United Patternmakers Association1957National Union of General and Municipal Workers1958National Union of Seamen1959London Typographical Society1960Confederation Of Health Service Employees1961United Society of Boilermakers1962Clerical and Administrative Workers Union1963National Union of General and Municipal Workers1964Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers1965National Union of Agricultural Workers1966National Union of Blastfurnacemen, Ore Miners, Coke Workers and Kindred Trades1967Iron and Steel Trades Confederation1968Amalgamated Weavers' Association1969National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers1970National Union of Railwaymen1971National Union of General and Municipal Workers1972Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians1973National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers1974Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers1975Transport and General Workers Union1976Inland Revenue Staff Federation1977John Kerr, "Sir Daniel McGarvey - 'boots' to union boss", The Guardian, 27 April 1977, p.3: McGarvey died in officeAmalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers1977Transport and General Workers Union1978National Union of General and Municipal Workers1979Union of Post Office Workers1980Fire Brigades Union1981National Union of Public Employees1982Association of Cinematograph Television and Allied Technicians1983Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union1984Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen1985General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union1986Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section1987National Union of Teachers1988Manufacturing, Science and Finance1989Inland Revenue Staff Federation1990National and Local Government Officers Association1991GMB Union1992National Union of Public Employees1993Union of Communication Workers1994National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers1995Banking, Insurance and Finance Union1996Transport and General Workers Union1997Graphical, Paper and Media Union1998GMB Union1999Unison2000Unison2001Transport and General Workers Union2002Communication Workers Union2003National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers2004Amicus2005Communication Workers Union2006Unison2007Unison2008Unison2009GMB Union2010Unite2011Community2012GMB Union2013Chartered Society of Physiotherapy2014Unite2015Prospect2016Unison2017Association of Teachers and Lecturers2018University and College Union2019Public and Commercial Services Union2020Accord2021Unite2022Prospect2023Communication Workers' Union2024Fire Brigades Union2025Nautilus International2026POA2027Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen
See also General Secretary of the TUC
References
Details of Past Congresses