Society of Graphical and Allied Trades

The Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT) was a British trade union in the printing industry.

Society of Graphical and Allied Trades
PredecessorNational Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers
National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants
Merged intoGraphical, Paper and Media Union
Founded1966
Dissolved1991
HeadquartersSOGAT House, London Road, Hadleigh, Essex[1]
Location
  • United Kingdom
Members
205,784 (1980)[1]
PublicationSOGAT Journal[1]
AffiliationsTUC, Labour
The SOGAT crest
The former SOGAT House at Oval, London. Photo taken July 2007.

History

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SOGAT was formed in 1966 by the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers and the National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants (NATSOPA). The National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers became the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades Division A and NATSOPA became the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades Division 1. The aim was to achieve a complete merger over time, but differences led to in-fighting and in 1970 the two divisions split, Division A retaining the name Society of Graphical and Allied Trades and Division 1 becoming the National Society of Operative Printers, Graphical and Media Personnel (but retaining the NATSOPA acronym).

In 1975, SOGAT officially became the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades 1975 (SOGAT '75) after amalgamation with the Scottish Graphical Association. In 1982, SOGAT '75 and NATSOPA finally amalgamated to become the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades 1982 (SOGAT '82). In 1991, SOGAT '82 merged with the National Graphical Association to form the Graphical, Paper and Media Union, which subsequently merged with Amicus to become that union's Graphical, Paper and Media industrial sector.

Election results

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The union did not initially sponsor Parliamentary candidates, but shortly after the 1979 general election, it changed its policy. It sponsored Bob Litherland's successful candidacy in the 1979 Manchester Central by-election, and also began sponsoring Ron Leighton, who was already a sitting Member of Parliament.[2]

Election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position
1979 by-election Manchester Central Bob Litherland 7,494 70.7 1
1983 general election Manchester Central Bob Litherland 27,353 65.3 1
Newham North East Ron Leighton 19,282 49.7 1
1987 general election Manchester Central Bob Litherland 27,428 68.2 1
Newham North East Ron Leighton 20,220 51.9 1

General Secretaries

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1966: Tom Smith[3]
1970: Vincent Flynn[3]
1975: Bill Keys[3]
1982: Bill Keys and Owen O'Brien
1985: Brenda Dean

Presidents

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1966: John McKenzie[3]
1967: Vincent Flynn[3]
1970: Bill Keys[3]
1975: Albert Powell[3]
1983: Brenda Dean[3]
1985: Danny Sergeant[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Eaton, Jack; Gill, Colin (1981). The Trade Union Directory. London: Pluto Press. pp. 157–160. ISBN 0861043502.
  2. ^ Gennard, John; Bain, Peter (1995). A History of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades. London: Routledge. pp. 428–430.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gennard, John; Bain, Peter (1995). A History of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades. London: Routledge. p. 214.
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