Universal Alliance of Diamond Workers

Last updated
Universal Alliance of Diamond Workers
Alliance Universelle des Ouvriers Diamantaires
Merged into International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions
Founded1905
Dissolved2000
Headquarters66-68 Plantin-en-Moretuslei, Antwerp
Members
10,100 (1982)
PublicationBulletin
Affiliations ICFTU

The Universal Alliance of Diamond Workers (UADW) was a small global union federation bringing together workers in the diamond polishing and jewellery making.

Contents

History

The federation was founded in Antwerp in 1905. [1] Its aims were to provide information on the industrial and social situations relevant to its members, and to conduct its own research. [2]

In its early years, the federation grew, representing 22,700 workers by 1913. [1] But this gradually declined; by 1982, the federation had affiliates in Belgium, France, Israel, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but they represented a total of only 10,100 members, making it by far the smallest global union federation. [2]

The federation remained at around 10,000 workers until 1993, when member unions in the Belgium, Israel and the Netherlands decided to relaunch it, with a focus on attracting unions outside Europe. It began campaigning against poor labour practices in diamond mining, including a call for children under 14 being banned from working in the industry, and a ban on dangerous cobalt "scaifes" (polishing wheels). [1] [3] This was successful, and by 2006 had members in Africa, Asia and Latin America. [4]

In September 2000, the federation merged into the much larger International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions. [4]

Affiliates

In 1960, the following unions were affiliated to the federation: [5]

UnionCountryAffiliated membership
General Diamond Workers' Association of Belgium Belgium7,000
General Dutch Industrial Union for the Metal and Electrical Industries Netherlands800
National Federation of French Diamond Workers' UnionsFrance400
National Union of Diamond WorkersIsrael2,000
Society of Goldsmiths, Jewellers and Kindred Trades United Kingdom260

Leadership

General Secretaries

1905: Jef Groesser [6]
1910: J. Jans [6]
1912: Louis van Berckelaer [6]
1936: Alf Daems [6]
1946: Franz Schoeters [6]
1980s: Constant Denisse
1990s: Jef Hoymans

Presidents

1905: Henri Polak [6]
1946: Pieter Van Muijden [6]
1950: Ies Mug [6]
1958: H. Van Eerde

Related Research Articles

World Confederation of Labour


The World Confederation of Labour (WCL) was an international labour organization founded in 1920 and based in Europe. Totalitarian governments of the 1930s repressed the federation and imprisoned many of its leaders, limiting operations until the end of World War II. In 2006 it became part of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), ending its existence as an independent organization.

International Transport Workers Federation

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) is a democratic global union federation of transport workers' trade unions, founded in 1896. In 2017 the ITF had 677 member organizations in 149 countries, representing a combined membership of 19.7 million transport workers in all industrial transport sectors: civil aviation, dockers, inland navigation, seafarers, road transport, railways, fisheries, urban transport and tourism. The ITF represents the interests of transport workers' unions in bodies that take decisions affecting jobs, employment conditions or safety in the transport industry.

The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) was a global union federation of trade unions. As of November 2007, ICEM represented 467 industrial trade unions in 132 countries, claiming a membership of over 20 million workers.

Confederation of Christian Trade Unions


The Confederation of Christian Trade Unions is the largest of Belgium's three trade union federations.

UASA

The UASA is a general union in South Africa.

International Federation of Trade Unions

The International Federation of Trade Unions was an international organization of trade unions, existing between 1919 and 1945. IFTU had its roots in the pre-war IFTU.

IndustriALL Global Union

IndustriALL Global Union is a global union federation, founded in Copenhagen on 19 June 2012.

The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) was a national trade union federation in South Africa.

Miners International Federation

The Miners' International Federation (MIF), sometimes known as the International Federation of Miners, was a global union federation of trade unions.

International Federation of Plantation and Agricultural Workers Organization

The International Federation of Plantation and Agricultural Workers (IFPAAW) was a global union federation bringing together unions representing land workers.

The International Federation of Textile Workers' Association (IFTWA) was a global union federation bringing together unions of textile workers, principally in Europe.

The International Federation of Boot and Shoe Operatives and Leather Workers was a global union federation representing unions of shoemakers and leather workers, principally in Europe.

The International Federation of Tobacco Workers (IFTW) was a global union federation bringing together unions representing workers involved in growing, processing or selling tobacco.

The International Union of Hotel, Restaurant and Bar Workers (IUHR) was a global union federation bringing together trade unions representing hospitality workers.

The Textile-Clothing-Diamond Union was a trade union representing workers in various industries in Belgium.

The Union of Clothing Workers and Kindred Trades in Belgium was a trade union representing workers in the clothing industry in Belgium.

The General Diamond Workers' Association of Belgium was a trade union representing workers in the diamond trade in Belgium.

The World Federation of Industry Workers (WFIW) was a global union federation representing workers in a range of primary and secondary industries.

The World Federation of Energy, Chemical and Various Industry Workers' Unions was a global union federation bringing together unions representing workers in a variety of industries.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Docherty, James C.; van der Velden, Sjaak (2012). Historical Dictionary of Organized Labor. Scarecrow Press. pp. 285–286. ISBN   0810879883.
  2. 1 2 Marsh, Arthur (1984). Trade Union Handbook (3 ed.). Aldershot: Gower. p. 93–94. ISBN   0566024268.
  3. ↑ Farrell-Robert, Janine (2007). Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Cartel. Red Wheel Weiser. ISBN   1609258800.
  4. 1 2 "Diamond And Allied Workers Join ICEM". IndustriALL. ICEM. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  5. ↑ Goldberg, Arthur (1960). Directory of International Trade Union Organizations. Washington DC: United States Department of Labour. pp. 3.1–3.7.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Yearbook of the International Free Trade Union Movement. London: Lincolns-Prager. 1957–1958. p. 520.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.