Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Engravers

The Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Engravers (SLADE) was a British trade union representing workers in the printing industry.

SLADE

Full name	Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Engravers
Founded	1885
Date dissolved	1982
Merged	National Graphical Association (1982)
Members	24,921 (1980)[1]
Journal	SLADE Journal[1]
Affiliation	TUC, P&KTF, Labour
Office location	Slade House, Clapham Common, London[1]
Country	United Kingdom

History

The union was formed in Manchester in 1885 as the National Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers and Writers, Copperplate and Wood Engravers, and it became the Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers and Process Workers in 1903.[2] In 1919, it relocated to London.[1]

The United Society of Engravers merged into SLADE in 1972, which promptly formed a wallpaper and textiles section. In 1975, the Slade Art Union was formed as an autonomous section of SLADE, hoping to attract workers involved in preparing photography and art.[2]

In the 1970s, there was controversy over SLADE's recruitment tactics, including the introduction of closed shops. On 12 March 1978, the Sunday Times stated: "Nearly 8000 workers have been forced mostly against their will, to join a union. Workers usually join unions to protect themselves. These workers wanted protection, but not against their bosses. They wanted protection against the very union they were being forced to join. It threatened them with the blacking of their work, the bankruptcy of their firm and the loss of their livelihoods." [3] It has been written that "the vast majority [of those 8000] felt that SLADE was ignorant of their industry, had rules and working practices inappropriate to them and considered the 'join or else your company will be put out of business' method of recruitment scandalous."[4]

The union amalgamated with the National Graphical Association (NGA) in 1982 to form the National Graphical Association (1982).

Election results

The union sponsored two Members of Parliament from 1979 onwards. Although SLADE had merged into the NGA by the 1983 general election, the MPs were sponsored in that election by the specific SLADE section of the NGA, rather than the merged union.[5]

Election	Constituency	Candidate	Votes	Percentage	Position
1983 general election	Clackmannan and Eastern Stirlingshire	Martin O'Neill	22,780	41.9	1[5]
	Hyndburn	Arthur Davidson	19,384	42.2	1[5]

General Secretaries

A union membership card

1885: Charles Harrap[6]

1899: Robert Barnes[6]

1917: Rupert Kneale[6]

1941: Victor M. Butler[6]

1956: H. G. Bellingham[6]

1969: Len Knapp[6]

1972: John Jackson[6]

References

1. Jack Eaton and Colin Gill, The Trade Union Directory (1981), pp. 170–171.
2. Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, vol. 1, p. 200.
3. Quoted in 'Report of an Inquiry into Certain Trade Union Recruitment Activities', Cmnd. 7706 (1979) (Leggatt Report), p. 15.
4. Dunn, Stephen; Gennard, John (1984). The Closed Shop in British Industry. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan. p. 124. ISBN 0-333-26203-4.
5. Gennard, John (1990). A History of the National Graphical Association. Unwin Hyman. ISBN 0044458118.
6. Arthur Marsh and John B. Smethurst, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, Vol. 5, pp. 17–18.

External links

• Catalogue of the SLADE archives, held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick