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Jim Campbell (trade unionist)

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James Campbell (17 April 1895[1] – 6 November 1957) was a Scottish trade union leader.

Born in Glasgow, Campbell worked as a ticket collector for the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and joined the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) in 1911.[2] During World War I, he served with the Royal Engineers.[3]

On his return, Campbell rejoined the railways, and was elected as branch secretary in the NUR.[3] He held a succession of increasingly senior positions in the union, eventually becoming a full-time organiser, then the chief organiser for Ireland, and assistant general secretary.[2]

In 1953, Campbell was elected as general secretary of the NUR, and he was also elected onto the General Council of the Trades Union Congress. While in office, he visited the Soviet Union,[2] with Tom Hollywood and four other union representatives. Just outside Leningrad, the car in which he and Hollywood were travelling was hit by a bus, and both were killed.[4] Campbell was 62.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary", Report of the 1958 Trades Union Congress, p.311
  3. ^ a b "Obituary: Mr J. Campbell", Manchester Guardian, 7 November 1957
  4. ^ "Second death in car crash", Manchester Guardian, 8 November 1957
Trade union offices
Preceded by President of the Scottish Trades Union Congress
1945–1946
Succeeded by
James Duncan
Preceded by Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen
1948–1953
Succeeded by
Preceded by General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen
1953–1957
Succeeded by
Preceded by Railways representative on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress
1953–1957
With: Bill Webber
Jim Baty (1953–1955)
Albert Hallworth (1955–1957)
Succeeded by
Preceded by Trades Union Congress representative to the AFL–CIO
1955
With: Tom Eccles
Succeeded by