William Johnson (trade unionist)
William Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1866 |
| Occupation | Trade unionist |
William Johnson (born 1866) was a British trade unionist and socialist activist.
Born in Bingley, then in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Johnson worked on a farm until 1882, when he emigrated to the United States. He undertook various jobs there, and joined the Knights of Labour during a lock out. He became increasingly active in the union, serving as a representative for worsted mill workers.[1]
In 1888, Johnson returned to the UK, becoming a shop assistant, and in 1889 he joined the East London Shop Assistants Union. He became its honorary secretary the following year, and took it into a merger which formed the National Union of Shop Assistants in 1891, becoming its full-time general secretary. While leader, he launched a journal, Shop Life Reform.[1]
Johnson was a member of the Fabian Society, on its radical wing, and unusually proposed in 1892 that Liberal Party officials should be ineligible for membership of the organisation.[2] He was also a supporter of The Clarion, and was one of seven people present at a meeting at its office in 1892, when it was proposed that an independent labour party be formed. In 1893, this was established as the Independent Labour Party; Johnson served as secretary to the standing orders committee at is founding conference, and served on its first National Administrative Committee.[1] He stood to become the first general secretary of the party, but was defeated by Shaw Maxwell, 66 votes to 28.[3]
Later in 1893, Johnson moved to London. The following year, he resigned his trade union post to become secretary of the Democratic Club, in succession to Shaw Maxwell.[1] However, Shaw Maxwell soon returned to the post, and Johnson became treasurer of the Shop Assistants' Union, later serving a term as president. He also represented the union at the Trades Union Congress, the first shop assistant to attend one of its meetings.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Edwards, Joseph (1895). Labour Annual. Manchester: Labour Press Society. p. 177.
- ^ Moore, James R. (2013). The Transformation of Urban Liberalism. Ashgate. p. 216. ISBN 1409479870.
- ^ Howell, David (1983). British Workers and the Independent Labour Party: 1888-1906. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 296. ISBN 0719009200.
- ^ USDAW: 125 years strong. London: USDAW. 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
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