National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants

The National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants (NATSOPA) was a British trade union.

NATSOPA

National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants
Merged into	Society of Graphical and Allied Trades
Founded	1889
Dissolved	1982
Headquarters	Caxton House, Borough Road, London
Location	United Kingdom
Members	20,877 (1946)[1] 54,464 (1980)[2]
Key people	George Isaacs, Richard Briginshaw
Publication	NATSOPA Journal and Graphic Review[2]
Affiliations	TUC, P&KTF, Labour

History

Formed as part of the New Unionism movement in September 1889, the union was originally named the Printers' Labourers' Union and was led by George Evans. In 1899, it was renamed the Operative Printers' Assistants Union, and in 1904 it became the National Society of Operative Printers' Assistants, taking the acronym NATSOPA for the first time. In 1911, it assumed its long-term name, the "National Society of Operative Printers and Assistants". By this point, it had 4,722 members, and it grew rapidly, having 25,000 members in 92 branches by 1929.

In 1966, the union merged with the National Union of Printing, Bookbinding and Paper Workers, becoming Division 1 of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT), but in 1970 the failure to agree a common rulebook led to Division 1 leaving to become the National Society of Operative Printers and Media Personnel. In 1972, it merged with the Sign and Display Trade Union,^[3] and in 1982 it again merged with SOGAT, on this occasion the merger proving successful.

Election results

The union sponsored George Isaacs as a Labour Party candidate in each general election and two by-elections between 1918 and 1955.^[4]

Election	Constituency	Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Position
1918 general election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	2,027	22.4	3
1922 general election	Gravesend	George Isaacs	7,180	35.6	2[5]
1923 general election	Gravesend	George Isaacs	9,776	43.4	1
1924 general election	Gravesend	George Isaacs	10,969	41.6	2
1927 by-election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	6,167	36.9	2[6]
1929 general election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	9,660	45.8	1[7]
1931 general election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	7,053	35.1	2[8]
1935 general election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	8,007	49.8	2[9]
1939 by-election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	5,815	57.4	1[10]
1945 general election	Southwark North	George Isaacs	5,943	69.0	1[11]
1950 general election	Southwark	George Isaacs	35,049	68.3	1[12]
1951 general election	Southwark	George Isaacs	36,586	72.3	1[13]
1955 general election	Southwark	George Isaacs	28,174	70.3	1[14]

Leadership

General Secretaries

1889: George Evans

1890: Thomas O'Grady

1897: Michael Vaughan

1898: Eddie Smith

1909: George Isaacs

1948: Harry Good

1951: Richard Briginshaw

1975: Owen O'Brien

Presidents

1889: James Keep^[15]

1891: Frederick Quinn^[15]

1893: James Keep^[15]

1898: Eddie Smith^[15]

1899: Harry Cook^[15]

1901: J. B. Sullivan^[15]

1904: George Cullen^[15]

1905: J. B. Sullivan^[15]

1907: James Keep^[15]

1910: A. Bispham^[15]

1917: J. C. Mead^[15]

1920: George T. Bevan^[15]

1929: William Plunkett^[15]