NATSOPA

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Printers and Unions

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NATSOPA

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NATSOPA

This union came into being in 1889 as the Printers’ Labourers’ Union for assistants in the machine rooms of London. Its members argued they were not ‘labourers’ and changed the name to the Operative Printers’ Assistants’ Society. When the union recruited outside London, National was added to its title. Finally in 1912, after the union recruited some machine managers, the word “and” was inserted between the words “Printers” and “Assistants”. NATSOPA was born.

In 1938 NATSOPA secured recognition from employers to organise and bargain for clerical and administrative workers in printing firms and newspaper offices but with severe restrictions upon its freedom to represent them. NATSOPA thus organised administrative and clerical grades, copyholders, revisers, machine managers, machine assistants, photo printers, linotype assistants, general assistants and ancillary staff.

Although it claimed to be a “National” union, over 90% of NATSOPA’s membership was employed in London and over half employed in newspapers. The Machine Branch, the Clerical Branch and the Revisers, Ink and Roller Makers and Ancillaries (RIRMA) organised NATSOPA’s London membership. Some 42% of the London Clerical Branch worked in national newspapers. The RIRMA branch encompassed occupational groups such as engravers’ assistants, cleaners, revisers and photo-technicians. The Machine branch organised NATSOPA casual workers in national newspapers. NATSOPA also organised employees in ink manufacturing.

Support Us: There are a number of ways you can help to support us. You can donate online. You can join the Library as an individual member and get your union branch to affiliate. If you are a retired or working print worker and would like to volunteer to take groups around the Collection, you can apply here to join our panel of volunteers.
Order your brochure: The Printers’ Collection was launched in February 2009 by Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of UNITE. To mark the opening a full-colour and richly illustrated 64-page brochure has been published. It is available here priced £5.
Share Memories: We are preparing an online book of memories of print workers. You may want to share with us your experience of being an apprentice, of your working life or activity as a trade unionist. If so, please write here and we will include all or parts of it in the forthcoming section.
Donate Items: Unite the union - graphical, paper and media section has kindly donated a substantial part of its collection of print ephemera, memorabilia and records in the Printers’ Collection. But some of our best and most surprising items have been donated by individuals or local union chapels and branches. If you have a print related item, which, you believe, would be of interest to others and you wish to donate it or simply loan it, to the Collection include a short description of it here.

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