Sign and Display Trade Union

Sign and Display Trade Union

Full name	"Sign and Display Trade Union"
Founded	1917
Date dissolved	1972
merged into	National Society of Operative Printers, Graphical and Media Personnel
Country	United Kingdom
Affiliation	Trades Union Congress

The Sign and Display Trade Union (SDTU) was British trade union that existed between 1917 and 1972.

Formed in 1917 as the National Union of Sign, Glass and Ticket Writers and Kindred Trades it represented workers engaged as a sign, glass, poster or ticket writer, or in any branch of subsidiary and allied trades. ^[1]

The union remained active during World War II. Between 1939-44, correspondence covered general union matters such as wage claims and holiday allowances and a Cinema Poster Trade Joint Agreement was negotiated.

In 1944, the Sign and Display Trades Union signed an agreement of mutual recognition with the National Association of Theatrical and Kine Employees (NATKE), acknowledging the demarcation between the two unions in the cinema industry.^[2]

The National Union of Sign, Glass and Ticket Writers and Kindred Trades changed its name to the Sign and Display Trade Union in 1945. ^[3]

In 1949 two other unions; the Northern Glass Workers' Employees' Association and the National Society of Decorative Glass Workers of the United Kingdom transferred their engagements to the Sign and Display Trades Union.

In 1958 the SDTU was involved in a dispute with Glasgow neon sign manufacturers; Laird Neon. Glasgow University Principal, Hector Hetherington, was appointed as arbitrator.^[4]

In 1972 the union transferred its engagements to the National Society of Operative Printers, Graphical and Media Personnel.^[5] At this point, it had fewer than 500 members.^[6]

General Secretaries

• 1937–1972: A.C. Torode

References

1. ^ University of Warwick Archive: SDT Retrieved December 2010
2. ^ University of Warwick Archive: Cinema Retrieved December 2010
3. ^ University of Warwick Archive: TUC SDTU records Retrieved December 2010
4. ^ University of Glasgow Archives Retrieved December 2010
5. ^ NATSOPA Archive Retrieved December 2010
6. ^ John Gennard and Peter Bain, A History of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades, p.41. ISBN 9780203992388, ISBN 9780415130769