George Doughty (trade unionist)

George Henry Doughty (17 May 1911 – 25 July 1998) was a British trade union leader.

Born in Birmingham, Doughty was educated at Handsworth Technical School and Aston Technical College. He left school at the age of sixteen and joined the General Electric Company, where he trained as a draughtsman, and joined the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen (AESD).^[1]

Doughty became prominent in the AESD through his contributions at its annual conference, in particular in convincing the union to campaign for a national minimum wage for under 25-year-olds in the field.^[2] In 1946, Doughty began working full-time for the union as a divisional officer, and in 1952 he was elected as its general secretary, defeating the sitting assistant general secretary.^[1][2]

As leader, Doughty was associated with the union's left-wing, leading a number of strikes, with a particular focus on improving members' pay. Doughty also served on the executive of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions, and as its president from 1961 to 1963, and from 1968 on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress.^[1][2]

Doughty negotiated a merger between the union, by then known as the Draughtsmen's and Allied Technicians' Association (DATA), and the Amalgamated Engineering Union, DATA becoming its largely autonomous Technical and Supervisory Section, and Doughty continuing as the section's general secretary.^[1]

Doughty retired from his union posts in 1974, becoming chairman of the Economic Development Committee for Electrical Engineering, and serving on the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth. In 1976, he joined the Central Arbitration Committee, and he served as the industrial relations adviser for SIAD from 1977 until 1988, when he retired completely.^[1]

References

1. "Doughty, George Henry", Who Was Who
2. Jim Mortimer, "Loyal to the unions", The Guardian, 30 July 1998