James Matthews (1903 or 1904 – 11 March 1969) was a

British 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 culture ...

trade union leader, known for his

anti-communism Anti-communism is Political movement, political and Ideology, ideological opposition to communism, communist beliefs, groups, and individuals. Organized anti-communism developed after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia, and it reached global ...

. Born in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, Matthews began working in his youth in a tinplate works. At the age of fifteen, he lost his job, and so joined the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

as a

bandboy Bandboy (also expressed as band boy) is a bygone term for a job similar to for what now is known as a " roadie." They set up, tear down, and maintain equipment, and music. They help out backstage with tasks such as making sure that towels, drinks, ...

. He was posted to the

Mountain Artillery Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for mountain warfare and other areas where wheeled transport is not possible. They are generally capable of being taken apart to make smaller loads for transport by horses, humans, mules, tractors, or t ...

, and served for twelve years, the last nine as an artilleryman, mostly based on the Northwest Frontier of India. On leaving the army, Matthews found work as an assistant in a mental hospital in England. While working there, he joined the

National Union of General and Municipal Workers The GMB is a general union, 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 He ...

(NUGMW), and rapidly came to prominent in the union. In 1935, he began working for the union full-time as its Bristol branch secretary, and in 1942 he became a district organiser. In 1944, he became a national industrial officer, with responsibility for the engineering industry, and four years later was relocated to work in London. Matthews was appointed as the union's representative on the

Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), often known as the Confed is a trade union confederation in the United Kingdom. History The confederation was founded in December 1890 as the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuil ...

(CSEU), and in 1960 served as president of the CSEU. He also became president of the International Federation of Industrial Organisations and General Workers' Unions, chaired the

joint industrial council A joint industrial council (JIC) or national joint industrial council (NJIC), known as a Whitley council in some fields, especially white-collar and government, is a statutory council of employers and trade unions established in the United Kingdom ...

for the chemical industry, and was secretary of the National Council for Civil Air Transport. While working with the NUGMW, Matthews became known for his opposition to

communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...

. He claimed that much industrial action was caused by communist disruption. He was active in the Labour Party, and served on the party's National Executive Committee from 1956 until 1963, but was a vocal critic of both left-wingers such as

Michael Foot Michael Mackintosh Foot (23 July 19133 March 2010) was a British politician who was Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom), Leader of the Opposition from 1980 to 1983. Foot beg ...

, and party members he perceived as intellectuals, such as

Tom Driberg Thomas Edward Neil Driberg, Baron Bradwell (22 May 1905 – 12 August 1976) was a British journalist, politician, High Anglican churchman and possible Soviet spy, who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1942 to 1955, and again from 1 ...

. In 1961, the party criticised him for writing an article for ''Aims of Industry'', a right-wing publication. Matthews retired from his trade union posts in 1963, and formed a company with Eric Dawson, formerly of the Economic League, and

George Shipway George Shipway (25 May 1908 – 1982) was a British author best known for his historical novels, but he also tried his hand at political satire in his book ''The Chilian Club''. Military career George Frederick Morgan Shipway was born on 25 May ...

. The anti-communist activists described the company as fostering "team spirit in industry", and Matthews called himself a "professional peacemaker". They were hired by

British Eagle British Eagle International Airlines was a major United Kingdom, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline that operated from 1948 until it went into liquidation in 1968. It operated scheduled and charter servi ...

and

Securicor Securicor plc was one of the United Kingdom's largest security businesses. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but merged with Group 4 Falck in 2004. History The Company was founded by Edward Shortt, a former Liberal Cabinet Minis ...

, while Matthews also served on the Inland Waterways Board.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Matthews, Jim 1900s births 1969 deaths Trade unionists from Bristol Royal Artillery soldiers 20th-century British Army personnel