George Henry Lowthian (born 30 January 1908 in Carlisle, Cumberland; died 11 June 1986 in Sutton, Surrey) was a British

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

. Lowthian entered the building trade at the age of sixteen, and completed his apprenticeship four years later, immediately joining the

Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers The Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers (AUBTW) was a British trade union. History The AUBTW was founded in 1921 when the Operative Society of Masons, Quarrymen and Allied Trades of England and Wales, the Operative Bricklayers' Socie ...

, and was elected as a branch secretary the following year. He studied extensively with the National Council of Labour Colleges.Benjamin Charles Roberts, ''Trade union government and administration in Great Britain'', p.536 Lowthian rapidly rose through the union, attending its conference from 1936, and joining the executive council in 1940. He became a full-time union official in 1945, as a divisional secretary, and was elected as the union's general secretary in 1950. He served on the General Council of the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in England and Wales, representing the majority of trade unions. There are 48 affiliated unions, with a total of about 5.5 million members. Frances ...

(TUC) for 21 years, and served as President of the TUC in 1964.''Report of the 118th Annual Trades Union Congress'', p.392 In 1971, Lowthian led his union into a merger which produced the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians. He spent two years as the secretary of the building section of the new union, before retiring. He maintained links with the trade union movement, including serving as a trustee of the Miners' Hardship Fund, until his death in 1985.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowthian, George 1908 births 1985 deaths British trade union leaders Presidents of the Trades Union Congress