Subgroups within the NUS Archive/Rank and File Seamen's Group

IDENTITY STATEMENT AREA

Reference code(s): MSS.175/ 6/ RF/1 - 28

Title: Subgroups within the NUS Archive/Rank and File Seamen's Group

Date(s): 1944 - 1960

Level of description: series

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Administrative/Biographical history: Communist Party Seamen's organisation. A group set up in opposition to the NUS. The group spoke and wrote against inequalities in their newsletter The Bulletin

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CONTENT AND STRUCTURE AREA

Scope and content: The series covers all activities of the RF including recruitment, newsletters, correspondence and reports. Of note is the article on the Royal Mail and racial discrimination (RF/7/2. P.2) where two 'coloured' men were no allowed to renew their contracts as 'the Company had issued instructions that in future all white crew only would be carried on that (the 'Araby') ship.' Other issues of note include equality for all seamen and the need to end 'established' and 'unestablished' status; the end to racial inequality; the gross injustices suffered without recourse to and help from the NUS. There are also records of the National Seamen's Reform Movement, Manchester Branch, a group that was established to offset victimisation and inequality. (12/21)Of use to those researching black seamen and trade unions for the records detail the struggles made to secure equality and the problems found within the NUS in particular when it came to opposing racial, ethnic and religious discrimination.The full name of the bulletin was, in 1954: The Bulletin for Trade Union Democracy. Voice of the Rank and File Seamen of Great Britain. The stated aims : we stand for miliant and active unions that will work for, and in the interests of all seamen, whatever their race, creed or colour. We are not attempting to usurp the responsibilities of the elected leadership of the Seamen's Unions, nor are we trying to undermine their authority, but we reserve the right as members of the unions to criticise constructively some aspects of policy which we feel do not reflefct the true opinions of the majority of members. (July 1954- RF/7/6). Other articles of note include 'Somali Seamen' where the point was made that no somail seamen were being allowed to work through the Shipping Federation (RF/7/8.p5)

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DESCRIPTION CONTROL AREA

Recorder's note: Fully indexed July 2002 MR.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

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Interest: Black

Specific group: somali

Subjects

Black and Asian Seamen

Racial discrimination

Trade unions

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National Seamen's Reform Movement

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