National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers

A guild or union existed amongst tailors' servingmen and journeymen in London as long ago as 1417 but the history of the present Union and its predecessors is only recorded from the later 19th Century. The National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers (NUTGW) existed as an independent body until 1991 when it joined the General Municipal and Boilermakers (GMB). At the time of the merger, the NUTGW was itself the result of many amalgamations. In 1912 the United Garment Workers' Union was formed by the amalgamation of the Amalgamated Society of Journeymen Tailors; Amalgamated Union of Clothiers' Operatives; Amalgamated Jewish Tailors, Pressers and Machinists' Trade Union; London Clothiers Cutters; The Shirt, Jacket and Overall Workers; and The Belfast Shirt and Collar Workers. These were later joined by the Scottish National Association of Operative Tailors; London Operative Tailors; and Amalgamated Society of Tailors and Tailoresses. In 1931 these became the NUTGW with the addition of the United Ladies Tailors (London) and the Waterproof Garment Workers' Union.