National Transport Workers' Federation


The National Transport Workers' Federation was an association of British trade unions. It was formed in 1910 to co-ordinate the activities of various organisations catering for dockers, seamen, tramwaymen and road transport workers.

History

The NTWF had some success as an organisational tool and as a symbol of trade union unity, but since its member unions retained full control over their own affairs it was not always able to have a direct influence on trade disputes. One of its members William Ball, was the subject of a pamphlet 'Torture in an English Prison' about his treatment as a male union supporter of women's right to vote in 1911. In 1912, it called a National Dock Strike in support of London dockers which was observed only in a few centres, and which ended within a week. This was regarded as an embarrassing setback, and led the Federation to adopt a more cautious approach in subsequent years. In 1921 it was criticised for failing to bring out its members in support of the miners in the Black Friday crisis.
The NTWF laid the foundations for the creation of the Transport and General Workers Union in 1922. The TGWU initially affiliated, but left in 1923, and the federation accomplished little thereafter, dissolving in 1927.

Affiliates

In 1918, the federation's affiliates were: