Douglas Tennant

Charles Douglas Smith Tennant (1906 – 19 November 1985) was a British trade union leader.

Tennant came to prominence in 1935, when he helped to found the Navigators' and Engineer Officers' Union (NEOU). This affiliated to the International Mercantile Marine Officers' Association (IMMOA). In 1940, the IMMOA evacuated to London, and Tennant was appointed as its acting general secretary, soon winning the post on a permanent basis. In 1943, he also became general secretary of the NEOU.[1][2]

After the war, Tennant felt that officers in the merchant navy were better represented by the International Transport Workers' Federation, and so in 1948, the IMMOA transferred all its industrial functions to that body. Tennant became chair of its Seafarers' Section, and vice-chair of its Civil Aviation Section, while continuing to run a largely inactive IMMOA until its dissolution, in 1964.[1][3]

In 1956, Tennant arranged for the Marine Engineers' Association to merge into the NEOU, which was then renamed as the Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Association. He remained its general secretary until his retirement, in 1971.[3][2]

Tennant was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1952 New Year Honours.[4]

References

1. "Ships' Officers' International to be dissolved" (PDF). International Transport Workers' Journal (2). February 1964. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
2. "Obituary: Douglas Tennant". Annual Report of the Trades Union Congress: 392. 1986.
3. "Personalia" (PDF). ITF Newsletter (1). January 1971. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
4. "No. 39421". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1951. pp. 1–36.

Trade union offices
Preceded by Omer Becu	General Secretary of the International Mercantile Marine Officers' Association 1940–1964	Succeeded by Federation dissolved
Preceded by William H. Coombs	General Secretary of the Merchant Navy and Airline Officers' Association 1943–1971	Succeeded by John Slater