Ben Tillett

Ben Tillet (September 11, 1860 - January 27, 1943) was a British trade union leader and politician. Tillett was born in Bristol and began his working life as a sailor, before travelling to London and taking up work as a docker.

Trade Union Activities

He began his career as a trade union organiser in 1887 by forming the Tea Operatives and General Labourers Union at Tilbury docks. Tillett and his union, renamed the Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union, rose to prominence during the London Dock Strike (1889), although the strike itself began without union involvement. Tillett also played a prominent role as a strike leader in dock strikes in 1911 and 1912. He was instrumental in forming the National Transport Workers' Federation in 1910, along with Havelock Wilson of the Seamen's Union. Tillett's union was the largest of the unions which came together in 1922 to form the Transport and General Workers' Union, however, it was Tillett's deputy, Ernest Bevin, rather than Tillett himself, who took the major role in bringing about the amalgamation. Bevin became the General Secretary of the new union, but Tillett remained involved and retained his seat on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress until 1932.

Related Topics:
Tilbury - Dock, Wharf, Riverside and General Labourers' Union - London Dock Strike (1889) - 1911 - 1912 - National Transport Workers' Federation - 1910 - Havelock Wilson - Seamen's Union - Transport and General Workers' Union - Ernest Bevin - Trades Union Congress

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