The GMB is a

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

which has more than 560,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

(NHS), ambulance service and local government.

Structural history

Founded in March 1889, it grew rapidly under the leadership of

Will Thorne William James Thorne CBE (8 October 1857 – 2 January 1946) was a British trade unionist, activist and one of the first Labour Members of Parliament. Early years Thorne was born in Hockley, Birmingham, on 8 October 1857. His father and ot ...

(1857–1946), to become a national union, winning a series of disputes in 1889 and gaining concessions on pay, conditions, and the introduction of an eight-hour working day for its members. The

National Amalgamated Union of Labour The National Amalgamated Union of Labour (NAUL) was a general union in the United Kingdom. History The trade union was founded in Feb 1889 as the United Tyne and District Labourers Association and in March 1889 the Amalgamated Society of Shipya ...

(NAUL), National Union of General Workers (NUGW) and the

Municipal Employees Association The Municipal Employees' Association was a trade union representing local government workers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1888 as the London County Council Employees' Protection Association, to represent workers at the London ...

(MEA) merged in 1924 to form a new union, named the National Union of General and Municipal Workers (NUGMW). Although the new union was one of the largest in the country it grew relatively slowly over the following decades; this changed in the 1970s when

David Basnett David Basnett, Baron Basnett (9 February 1924 – 25 January 1989) was a British trade union leader. Born in Liverpool, Basnett studied at Quarry Bank High School before becoming a bank clerk. He served as a pilot with the Royal Air Force du ...

created new sections for staff, and hotel and catering workers, and changed the union's name to the General and Municipal Workers' Union (GMWU) in 1974. In 1982, following a merger with the

Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers The Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers (ASB) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. Many of its members worked in shipbuilding, in which industry it was the leading trade union, while over tim ...

(ASBSBSW), the union was renamed the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union (GMBATU). This was sometimes shortened to "GMB", which in 1987 became the official name of the union. For several years following the highly contested merger

boilermaker A boilermaker is a Tradesman, tradesperson who Metal fabrication, fabricates steels, iron, or copper into boilers and other large containers intended to hold hot gas or liquid, as well as maintains and repairs boilers and boiler systems.Bure ...

members retained a distinct identity in GMB's Craft Section. The union has absorbed the following smaller unions: *1924: Chatham Government Labourers' Union, St Helens Sheet Glass Flatteners' Trade Protection Society *1929:

Cumberland Iron Ore Miners and Kindred Trades Association The Cumberland Iron Ore Miners' and Kindred Trades' Association was a trade union, principally representing iron ore miners in the Cumberland area of North West England. History Although there were some attempts among iron ore miners in Cumberlan ...

*1931:

Cleveland Ironstone Quarrymens' Association Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania stat ...

North Yorkshire and Cleveland Miners' Association The Cleveland Miners' and Quarrymen's Association was a trade union representing ironstone miners in the Cleveland area of England. The union was founded in 1872 as the North Yorkshire and Cleveland Miners and Quarrymen's Association by Joseph ...

*1933:

Saw Grinders Trades Protection Society of Sheffield A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge used to cut through material. Various terms are used to describe toothed and abrasive saws. Saws began as serrated materials, and when mankind learned how to ...

*1934:

Amalgamated National Union of Quarryworkers and Settmakers The Amalgamated National Union of Quarryworkers and Settmakers (ANUQ&S) was a trade union representing quarry workers in Britain and the Channel Islands. The union was founded in 1914, when the National Union of Quarrymen merged with the Settmake ...

*1935:

Southern Counties Agricultural and Rural Workers Southern may refer to: Businesses * China Southern Airlines, airline based in Guangzhou, China * Southern Airways, defunct US airline * Southern Air, air cargo transportation company based in Norwalk, Connecticut, US * Southern Airways Express ...

*1936:

National Society of Woolcombers and Allied Trades National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

Welsh Artisans' United Association Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

*1938:

Saw Handle Makers' Trade Society of Sheffield A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge used to cut through material. Various terms are used to describe toothed and abrasive saws. Saws began as serrated materials, and when mankind learned how to ...

*1946: Aircraft Inspectors' Association, National Edge Tool Trade Society * GMB Union banner at a demonstration in 2018

1955:

South Durham and North Yorkshire Salt Makers' Union South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...

*1957: National Cutlery Union *1958: British Airways Administrative Staffs Association *1962:

Elastic Web Weavers' Union Elastic is a word often used to describe or identify certain types of elastomer, elastic used in garments or stretchable fabrics. Elastic may also refer to: Alternative name * Rubber band, ring-shaped band of rubber used to hold objects togethe ...

*1964: Amalgamated Union of File Trades,

Ulster Transport and Allied Operatives Union Ulster (; or ; or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional or historic Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kingdom); the remaining three are in the Republic of ...

*1965:

Stoke Prior Salt Makers', Mechanics' and General Labourers' Union Stoke may refer to: Places Canada * Stoke, Quebec New Zealand * Stoke, New Zealand United Kingdom Berkshire * Stoke Row Bristol * Stoke Bishop * Stoke Gifford * Bradley Stoke * Little Stoke * Harry Stoke * Stoke Lodge Bucking ...

*1966: HM Stationery Staff Machine Association *1968: Scottish Metal Workers' Union, Scottish Operative Glaziers' Society, Wool, Yarn and Warehouse Workers' Union *1969:

Union of Salt, Chemical and Industrial General Workers Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Union ...

, Winsford Salt Makers *1972:

Manchester Warehouse Employees Association Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

, National Union of Waterworks Employees *1974: BSR Staff Association, National Pen Workers' Federation,

United Rubber, Plastic and Allied Workers' Union {{short description, Former trade union of the United Kingdom The United Rubber Workers of Great Britain was an organisation representing workers involved in the processing of rubber and other waterproof materials in the United Kingdom. The union ...

*1975: Scottish Football Players' Union *1979: Coopers and Allied Workers' Federation of Great Britain *1982:

Northern Ireland Professional Footballers' Association Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

*1983: Scottish Lace and Textile Workers' Union *1986: Amalgamated Textile Warehouse Operatives (two branches),

Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union The Amalgamated Textile Workers' Union (ATWU) was a trade union in Great Britain.G. P. and S. P. A. Henderson, ''Directory of British Associations & Associations in Ireland'' (8th Edition), p.7 History The union was founded in 1974, when the Ama ...

(plus eight affiliates) *1988: Greater London Staff Association *1989: Association of Professional, Executive and Computer Staff, Association of Professional Music Therapists *1990:

Legal Aid Staff Association Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the art ...

, National Union of Labour Organisers *1991:

Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union The Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1971 by the merger of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives (NUFTO) and the Amalgamated Society of Woodc ...

National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers The National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers (NUTGW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded as the Tailors and Garment Workers' Union (T&GWU) in 1920 with the merger of the Scottish Operative Tailors and T ...

*1998:

British Gas Managers' Association British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and cultur ...

*2000:

Managerial and Professional Officers Managerial and Professional Officers (MPO) was a trade union representing senior staff working for local authorities in the United Kingdom. The union originated as the Federation of Professional Officers' Associations, a loose body founded in 1 ...

*2002:

International Union of Sex Workers The International Union of Sex Workers (IUSW) is a United Kingdom-based trade union for sex workers. It campaigns for the decriminalisation of prostitution, and to have sex work acknowledged as viable labour. In 2002, members voted to affiliate ...

*2007: General Union of Loom Overlookers *2008:

Ambulance Service Union An ambulance is a medically-equipped vehicle used to transport patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to m ...

*2010: Community and District Nursing Association *2015:

Unity Unity is the state of being as one (either literally or figuratively). It may also refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpoo ...

In 1992, the GMB for the first time allocated all of its members to one of eight industrial sections: clothing and textiles; commercial services; construction, furniture and allied; energy and utilities; engineering; food and leisure; process; and public services.Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, ''Historical Directory of Trade Unions'', vol.5, pp.438-440, 486-488 The GMB's sections were rationalised in 2006, with the union since then consisting of GMB Commercial Services, GMB Manufacturing, and GMB Public Services.

GMB Credit Union

To serve its members with ethical loans and finance and helpful support, GMB launched a standalone credit union offering in 1998. Founded as Thorne Credit Union after

, founder of NUGW forerunner, the

National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers The National Union of General Workers (NUGW) was an early general union in the United Kingdom, the most important general union of its era. History The union was founded in 1889 as the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers by Will ...

and one of the first Labour Members of Parliament, the credit union began life as GMB Lancashire Region Credit Union before being rolled out nationwide in 2000. Today, the credit union serves over 10,000 nationwide and growing rapidly. The

credit union A credit union is a member-owned nonprofit organization, nonprofit cooperative financial institution. They may offer financial services equivalent to those of commercial banks, such as share accounts (savings accounts), share draft accounts (che ...

is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the

Financial Conduct Authority The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is a financial regulatory body in the United Kingdom. It operates independently of the UK Government and is financed by charging fees to members of the financial services industry. The FCA regulates financi ...

and the PRA. Ultimately, like the banks and building societies, members' savings are protected against business failure by the

Financial Services Compensation Scheme The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) is the UK's statutory compensation scheme for customers of UK authorised financial services firms. This means it can step in to pay compensation if a firm is unable, or likely to be unable, to p ...

Landmark Uber employment tribunal case

On 28 October 2016, in a landmark ruling if not overturned on appeal, the

Central London Employment Tribunal Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

ruled that

Uber Uber Technologies, Inc. is an American multinational transportation company that provides Ridesharing company, ride-hailing services, courier services, food delivery, and freight transport. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, a ...

drivers are "workers" entitled to the

minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. List of countries by minimum wage, Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation b ...

, paid holiday, sick leave and other normal worker entitlements, rather than

self-employed Self-employment is the state of working for oneself rather than an employer. Tax authorities will generally view a person as self-employed if the person chooses to be recognised as such or if the person is generating income for which a tax return ...

. Two Uber drivers had brought the case to the employment tribunal with the assistance of the

GMB Union The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom which has more than 560,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National Health Service (N ...

on 20 July 2016, as a test case on behalf of a group of 19 drivers. As a consequence,

The Pensions Regulator The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is a non-departmental public body In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive ...

is considering if the ruling obliges Uber to create a workplace pension scheme. The ruling could have implications wider than just Uber, throughout the so-called

gig economy The gig economy is the economic system by which a workforce of people (known as gig workers) engage in freelance and/or side-employment. Description The gig economy is composed of corporate entities, workers and consumers. The Internal Reve ...

. On 10 November 2017 the

Employment Appeal Tribunal The Employment Appeal Tribunal is a tribunal in England and Wales and Scotland, and is a superior court of record. Its primary role is to hear appeals from Employment Tribunals in England, Scotland and Wales. It also hears appeals from decisions ...

upheld the first tribunal's ruling. Uber indicated that it would appeal further. The law firm

Leigh Day Martyn Day is a British solicitor specializing in international, environmental and product liability claims who founded – and is the Senior Partner of – the law firm Leigh Day, established in 1987. He was a director of Greenpeace Environment ...

started the legal action against Uber on behalf of 25 members of the GMB union, which initially included J. Farrar and Y. Aslam, although the two pursued this latest case with a different union, the Independent Worker's Union of Great Britain. On 10 February 2017 a similar case involving

Pimlico Plumbers Pimlico Plumbers is a London-based plumbing firm established in 1979. With revenues of £20m as of 2015, it is London's largest independent plumbing company. Establishment Pimlico Plumbers was established in 1979 by its current managing direct ...

was confirmed at the

Court of Appeal An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...

. A worker who had suffered a heart attack was found to have been unfairly or wrongfully dismissed. Another similar case against parcel delivery company

Hermes Group Hermes Europe GmbH is a German delivery company headquartered in Hamburg, owned by the retail company Otto GmbH. History The company was founded in 1972 in Germany, opening 20 depots in its first year. In 1989, after the fall of the Berlin ...

, supported by the GMB through lawyers Leigh Day, had a similar outcome at an employment tribunal in Leeds on 25 June 2018. Hermes are considering an appeal. The GMB stated the ruling was likely to affect 14,500 Hermes couriers. General Secretary, Tim Roache, described it as:

Political activity

GMB is one of the three largest affiliates of the Labour Party. It is a significant financial contributor to the party's national and local organisation. GMB gives Labour up to £2M a year in affiliation fees and other funds, making it the third largest union donor to the party. In 1991, GMB was the first British trade union to set up an office in Brussels and has been particularly engaged in seeking to influence

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

legislation that sets minimum standards for workers and for health and safety across the EU single market. In 2008, GMB Congress voted to withdraw local funding from around a third of the 108 Labour MPs whose constituencies received support from GMB, due to the perception that some MPs within the party were treating workers with "contempt" and generally not working in the interests of the working class and GMB members. Despite this the Congress opposed disaffiliation from the party. In the 2010 Labour Leadership Election, GMB endorsed

Ed Miliband Edward Samuel Miliband (born 24 December 1969) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero since July 2024. He has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for D ...

over his competitor and brother

David Miliband David Wright Miliband (born 15 July 1965) is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Rescue Committee and a former British Labour Party politician. He was the Foreign Secretary from 2007 to 2010 and the Member o ...

. In 2013, GMB announced it was cutting its affiliation fund from £1.2M to £150,000 by reducing the number of members it affiliates from 420,000 to 50,000. In 2013, GMB Congress, the lay member ruling body, adopted a 14-point plan to encourage GMB members to become active in the Labour Party and to stand as Labour candidates for public office (Parliament and local government). GMB has two representatives on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Labour Party, Kathy Abu-Bakir and Gavin Sibthorpe. In Ireland, GMB is affiliated to the Irish Labour Party. While in the 2015 Labour leadership election GMB did not endorse a candidate, in the 2016 Labour leadership election, the union endorsed

Owen Smith Owen Smith (born 2 May 1970) is a British lobbyist and former Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician. Smith was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency), Pontypridd from 2 ...

against incumbent leader

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington North (UK Parliament constituency), Islington North since 1983. Now an Independent ...

. Under the leadership of

, the GMB clashed with the party over the issues of Trident renewal and

fracking Fracking (also known as hydraulic fracturing, fracing, hydrofracturing, or hydrofracking) is a well stimulation technique involving the fracturing of formations in bedrock by a pressurized liquid. The process involves the high-pressure inje ...

, both of which are opposed by Corbyn. In the 2020 Labour leadership election, the GMB endorsed

Lisa Nandy Lisa Eva Nandy (born 9 August 1979) is a British Labour Party politician serving as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport since 2024. She has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Wigan constituency since 2010. Nandy previ ...

, who subsequently finished third.

Leadership

The GMB is led by a general secretary and treasurer. In 2005 Paul Kenny was appointed the acting general secretary, in place of Kevin Curran who stepped down after being suspended on full pay during an inquiry into ballot-rigging during the union's leadership election. The episode was seen as a power struggle between the national office and powerful regional heads, led by Kenny, who opposed centralisation. Kenny had lost the 2003 vote to Curran. In May 2006, Kenny was elected unopposed as general secretary.

Tim Roache Timothy John Roache (born 6 April 1962) is a British trade unionist who served as General Secretary of the GMB union from 2016 to 2020. Union career Roache was born on 6 April 1962 and grew up in London, where his father was a shop steward on th ...

was elected as general secretary and treasurer in November 2015, receiving 56.7% of the vote on a turnout of 4.2%, beating the one other candidate, Paul McCarthy. Roache took up the post in 2016, but resigned in April 2020 after allegations of harassment.

General Secretaries

:1924:

:1934:

Charles Dukes Charles Dukes, 1st Baron Dukeston CBE (28 October 1881 – 14 May 1948) was a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician. Born in Stourbridge, Dukes left school at the age of eleven, taking up work as an errand boy. When his family mov ...

:1946: Tom Williamson :1962: Jack Cooper :1973:

:1986: John Edmonds :2003: Kevin Curran :2005: Paul Kenny :2016:

:2021: Gary Smith

Deputy General Secretaries

This post was known as "assistant general secretary" until 1935. :1924:

Peter Tevenan Peter Joseph Tevenan (20 June 1857 – 11 April 1943) was an Irish-British trade unionist and politician. Born in County Galway, Tevenan moved with his family to Liverpool when he was a young child. The family then settled in Chesterfield, Derb ...

and Ralph Spence :1933: Ralph Spence :1935: ''Post abolished'' :1991: Tom Burlison :1996: Steve Pickering :2003: Debbie Coulter :2008: ''Post vacant''

Presidents

This position was known as "Chair of the Executive" or "National Chairman" from 1938 until the early 1990s. :1924: J. R. Clynes :1938: Fred Marshall :1946: Thomas William Kerry :1949: William E. Hopkin :1952: Jack Cooper :1962: Bernard Swindell :1964: Charles Smith :1970: Alex M. Donnet :1976: Derek Gladwin :1982:

Dick Pickering Richard Pickering (22 September 1942 – 10 October 1996) was a British trade union leader. Born in Manchester on 22 September 1942, Pickering became active in the local Labour Party and in the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.Kei ...

:1987: James Morrell :1988: Olga Mean :1992: Dick Pickering :1997: Mary Turner :2018: Barbara Plant

2020 internal inquiry

In 2020, following the resignation of general secretary

and subsequently receiving anonymous allegations, the union conducted a barrister-led internal inquiry. This concluded that bullying, misogyny, cronyism and sexual harassment were "endemic" within the union. More specifically the report stated "The GMB is institutionally sexist. The General Secretaries and all regional secretaries are, and always have been, men. Women are underrepresented throughout the GMB’s ranks", concluding that culture must change for the GMB to become a safe and rewarding place for women. The report made 27 recommendations for change, on which the union's National President, Barbara Plant, promised to act.

Sports sponsorship

The GMB sponsors the

Nottingham Panthers The Nottingham Panthers are a British professional ice hockey club based in Nottingham, England. They are members of the Elite Ice Hockey League. RHPS are the Panthers' major sponsor for 2024–25. The Nottingham Panthers have won four league ...

ice hockey team and the Castleford Tigers rugby league team. Until May 2011 it sponsored Swindon Town F.C., Swindon Town Football Club, but when Paolo Di Canio was appointed manager the GMB terminated the relationship because of Di Canio's political views. A GMB spokesman said: "He has openly voiced support for Mussolini so it beggars belief that Swindon could have appointed him, especially given the multi-ethnic nature of the team and the town." The union sponsored Port Vale F.C., Port Vale for the 2013–14 football season.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gmb (Trade Union) GMB (trade union), 1924 establishments in the United Kingdom Credit unions of the United Kingdom General unions Organisations based in the London Borough of Camden Trade unions established in 1924 Trade unions in the United Kingdom Trade unions affiliated with the Labour Party (UK) Trade unions based in London Trade unions affiliated with the Trades Union Congress