National Union of Domestic Appliances and General Operatives

The National Union of Domestic Appliances and General Operatives (NUDAGO) was a trade union representing metal workers in the United Kingdom, principally in the town of Rotherham. It primarily represented workers employed in manufacturing whitegoods, but also had some membership in foundries and light engineering.^[2]

National Union of Domestic Appliances and General Operatives

Merged into	Community
Founded	1890
Dissolved	2006
Headquarters	Imperial Buildings, Rotherham[1]
Location	United Kingdom
Members	5,500 (1980)[1]
Affiliations	CSEU, GFTU, LMTU, TUC, Labour

History

The union was founded in 1890, following a successful strike in the light metal industry in Rotherham, led by the Knights of Labor.^[3] Initially named the National Union of Stove Grate Workers, it gradually recruited members in other parts of Yorkshire, Lancashire and the Midlands, and created a small branch in London. Over time, it expanded its remit, and was renamed the National Union of Stove Grate and General Metal Workers, then as the National Union of Domestic Appliance and General Metal Workers, before adopting its final name.^[4][3]

Never a large union, by 1979 it had 5,500 members,^[3] declining to 2,250 in 1997.^[5]

In 2006, the union merged into Community.

General secretaries

1890s: William Knowles

1909: Alex Hutchison

1928: Adam Bennett

1953: Jack Higham

1979: Reg Preston

1989: Tony McCarthy