Britain's unions

The following member organisations are listed alphabetically by acronym. Membership figures are based on those given to the TUC as at January 2009

TUC membership now stands at 58 unions, representing nearly six and a half million people (For previous years' total membership figures, Presidents of Congress and TUC General Secretaries, please click here).

Want to join a union?

There are many reasons for joining a union. To find the right union for you and your job, you can call the TUC's 'Join a Union' line 0870 600 4 882 (national rate, 8am - 9pm Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm Saturday), fill in our online form or use workSMART's online tools to help you choose.

Whilst TUC unions represent the vast majority of trade unionists in Britain there are a number of unions which are not affiliated. Most of these are small organisations representing specialist staff and in many cases employees of a particular organisation, there are however some substantial organisations which are outside the TUC. These include the Police Federation which is barred by law from affiliating to the TUC. The government appointed Certification Officer maintains a list of all unions and employers organisations.

A Back to top Accord Simmons House, 46 Old Bath Road, Charvil, Reading, Berks, RG10 9QR Tel  0118934 1808 Fax 0118 932 0208 Email info@accordhq.org Web www.accord-myunion.org General secretary  Gen sec Ged Nichols Main trades the Halifax Bank of Scotland Group (HBOS) Membership  m 8,841 f 23,904 total 32,745 ACM Association for College Management 35 The Point, Market Harborough Leicestershire LE16 7QU Tel  01858461110 Fax 01858461366 Email admin@acm.uk.com Web www.acm.uk.com General secretary  Peter Pendle Main trades representing managers in the learning and skills sector Advance 2nd floor, 16/17 High Street, Tring, Herts HP23 5AH Tel  01442891122 Fax 01442891133 Email info@advance-union.org Web www.advance-union.org General secretary  Linda Rolph Main trades All staff employed in the Abbey and Santander UK based companies. Includes membership of the Union for Bradford and Bingley Staff and Associated Companies (UBAC) which transferred engagements to Advance late in 2009 Membership  m 2,145 f 5,756 total 7,901 AEP Association of Educational Psychologists 4 The Riverside Centre, Frankland Lane, Durham DH1 5TA Tel  0191384 9512 Fax 0191 386 5287 Email enquiries@aep.org.uk Web www.aep.org.uk General secretary  Kate Fallon Main trades educational psychologists in local educational authorities and other public and private organisations (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) Membership  m 769 f 2,457 total 3,226 AFA Association of Flight Attendants AFA Council 07, United Airlines Cargo Centre, Shoreham Road East, Heathrow Airport, Hounslow, Middx, TW6 3UA Tel  0208276 6723 Email afalhr@unitedafa.org Web www.afalhr.org.uk General secretary  Saad Bhatkar Main trades airline cabin crew ASLEF Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen 9 Arkwright Road, London NW3 6AB Tel  0207317 8600 Fax 0207794 6406 Email info@aslef.org.uk Web www.aslef.org.uk General secretary  Keith Norman Main trades railways (drivers, operational supervisors and staff) Membership  m 17,568 f 641 total 18,209 Aspect Woolley Hall, Woolley, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 2JR Tel  01226383428 Fax 01226383427 Email admin@aspect.org.uk Web www.aspect.org.uk General secretary  John Chowcat LI.B (Hons) The recognised specialist union for school improvement professionals Membership  m 1,696 f 2,350 total 4,046 ATL Association of Teachers and Lecturers 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD Tel  0207930 6441 Fax 020 7930 1359 Email info@atl.org.uk Web www.atl.org.uk General secretary  Dr Mary Bousted Main trades teachers, headteachers, lecturers and teaching support staff in nursery, primary, secondary schools, sixth form and further education colleges Membership  m 32,955 f 89,417 total 122,372 B Back to top BACM-TEAM British Association of Colliery Management - Technical, Energy and Administrative Management 6A South Parade, Doncaster DN1 2DY Tel  01302815551 Fax 01302815552 Email gs@bacmteam.org.uk Web www.bacmteam.org.uk General secretary  Patrick Carragher Membership  m 2,509 f 155 total 2,664 BALPA British Air Line Pilots Association BALPA House, 5 Heathrow Boulevard, 278 Bath Road, West Drayton, UB7 0DQ Tel  0208476 4000 Fax 0208476 4077 Email balpa@balpa.org Web www.balpa.org.uk General secretary  Jim McAuslan Main trades airline pilots, winchmen and flight engineers (commercial) Membership  m 8,170 f 430 total 8,600 BDA British Dietetic Association 5th Floor, Charles House, 148/149 Gt Charles Street, Birmingham B3 3HT Tel  0121200 8010 Fax 0121200 8081 Email ir@bda.uk.com Web www.bda.uk.com General secretary  Head of employment relations Debbie O'Rourke Main trades the science and practice of dietetics in the private and public sector BECTU Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union 373-377 Clapham Road, London, SW9 9BT Tel  0207346 0900 Email info@bectu.org.uk Web www.bectu.org.uk General secretary  Gerry Morrissey Main trades broadcasting, film, video, theatre, cinema and related sectors Membership  m 17,798 f 7,824 total 25,622 BFAWU Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union Stanborough House, Great North Road, Stanborough, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 7TA Tel  01707260150 Fax 01707261570 Email info@bfawu.org Web www.bfawu.org General secretary  Joe Marino Main trades food BOS TU British Orthoptic Society Trade Union Tavistock House North, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HX Tel  0207387 7992 Fax 0207383 2584 Email bos@orthoptics.org.uk Web www.orthoptics.org.uk Membership email  membership@orthoptics.org.uk General secretary  Employment relations officer Rosie Auld Main trades orthoptists Membership  m 36 f 837 total 1,021 BSU Britannia Staff Union Court Lodge, Leonard Street, Leek, Staffordshire ST 13 5JP Tel  01538399 627 Fax 01538371 342 Email bsu@themail.co.uk Web www.britanniasu.org.uk General secretary  John Stoddard Main trades finance sector union representing staff working in Britannia Building Society and its group of companies Membership  m 890 f 2,350 total 3,240 C Back to top CDNA Community and District Nursing Association Basement 367 Chiswick High Road London W4 4AG. Tel  0208231 0180 Fax 0208231 0187 Email info@cdnaonline.org Web www.cdnaonline.org General secretary  Chair, Rowena Smith Main trades community and district nurses, health care assistants and everyone working within community health CGSU Cheshire Group Staff Union c/o CGSU, 26 High Street Mold, CH7 1AZ Tel  01352751512 General secretary  Chair: Karen Hughes Trade union which represents workers in the Cheshire Building Society Membership  m 68, f 273 total 341 Community 67/68 Long Acre, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9FA Tel  0207420 4000 Fax 0207278 8378 Email info@community-tu.org Web www.community-tu.org General secretary  Michael Leahy OBE Main trades industries in and around steel and metal, knitwear, lace, textiles, hosiery, dyeing and finishing, footwear and leather, gloving, made-up leather goods The Union for Life Membership  m 54,665 f 12,823 total 67,488 CSP Chartered Society of Physiotherapy 14 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4ED Tel  0207306 6666 Fax 020 7306 6611 Email enquiries@csp.org.uk Web www.csp.org.uk General secretary  Director of employment relations Lesley Mercer Membership  m 4,111 f 31,640 total 35,050 CWU Communication Workers Union 150 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RX Tel  0208971 7200 Fax 0208971 7300 Email info@cwu.org Web www.cwu.org General secretary  Gen sec Billy Hayes Main trades Royal Mail Group, British Telecom and other telephone companies, Cable TV, Accenture HR Services, the Alliance and Leicester and other related industries Membership  m 184,395 f 46,573 total 230,968 D Back to top DGSU Derbyshire Group Staff Union The Lodge, Duffield Hall, Derbyshire, DE56 1AG Tel  01332844396 Web http://www.dgsu.org.uk General secretary  Chair Sue Burgess Membership  m 110 f 313 total 423 E Back to top EIS Educational Institute of Scotland 46 Moray Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BH Tel  0131225 6244 Fax 0131220 3151 Email enquiries@eis.org.uk Web www.eis.org.uk General secretary  Ronald A Smith Main trades teachers, lecturers, associated educational personnel (Scotland) Membership  m 14,595 f 45,783 total 60,378 Equity Guild House, Upper St Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9EG Tel  0207379 6000 Fax 0207379 7001 Email info@equity.org.uk Web www.equity.org.uk General secretary  Christine Payne Main trades performance workers in theatre, film television, radio and variety F Back to top FBU Fire Brigades Union Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey KT2 7AE Tel  0208541 1765 Fax 0208546 5187 Email office@fbu.org.uk Web www.fbu.org.uk General secretary  Matt Wrack Main trades local authority fire brigades Membership  m 42,041 f 2,576 total 44,617 FDA 8 Leake Street, London SE1 7NN Tel  0207401 5555 Fax 0207401 5550 Email head-office@fda.org.uk Web www.fda.org.uk General secretary  Jonathan Baume Main trades civil service, public bodies and NHS The union of choice for senior public sector managers and professionals Membership  m 9,534 f 8,258 total 17,792 G Back to top GMB 22/24 Worple Road, London SW19 4DD Tel  0208947 3131 Fax 0208944 6552 Email info@gmb.org.uk Web www.gmb.org.uk General secretary  Paul Kenny Main trades public services - primarily NHS, local government, care education; also engineering, construction, shipbuilding, energy, catering, security, civil air transport, aerospace, defence, clothing, textiles, retail, hotel, chemicals, utilities, offshore, food production and distribution Britain's General Union Membership  m 324,529 f 276,602 total 601,131 H Back to top HCSA Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association 1 Kingsclere Road, Overton, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG25 3JA Tel  01256771 777 Fax 01256770 999 Email conspec@hcsa.com Web www.hcsa.com General secretary  Stephen Campion Main trades hospital consultants, associate specialists, SpR grade and staff grade Membership  m 2,673 f 535 total 3,208 M Back to top MU Musicians' Union 60/62 Clapham Road, London SW9 0JJ Tel  0207582 5566 Fax 0207582 9805 Email info@musiciansunion.org.uk Web www.musiciansunion.org.uk General secretary  Gen sec John Smith Main trades employed and self-employed musicians including live and recording artists, writers, composers and teachers Membership  m 22,065 f 8,031 total 30,096 N Back to top NACO National Association of Co-operative Officials 6a Clarendon Place, Hyde, Cheshire SK14 2QZ Tel  0161351 7900 Fax 0161366 6800 Email initials@nacoco-op.org Web www.nacoco-op.org General secretary  Neil Buist Main trades retail distribution, insurance, dairy industry, funeral services, motor trades (retail), retail pharmacy, travel industry, agriculture Membership  m 1,499 f 724 total 2,223 NACODS National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers Wadsworth House, 130-132 Doncaster Road Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 1TP Tel  01226203 743 Fax 01226295 563 Email natnacods@aol.com General secretary  Ian Parker Main trades mining Napo 4 Chivalry Road, London SW11 1HT Tel  0207223 4887 Fax 0207223 3503 Email info@napo.org.uk Web www.napo.org.uk General secretary  Jonathan Ledger Main trades probation offiers, including hostel assistant wardens and community service sessional supervisors and family court staff The Trade Union and Professional Association for Family Court and Probation Staff Membership  m 2,758 f 6,072 total 8,830 NASS National Association of Stable Staff 74 High Street, Swadlincote, Derbyshire DE11 7EW Tel  01283211522 Email office@naoss.co.uk Web www.naoss.co.uk/ General secretary  Chief Executive: Jim Cornelius Main trades Stable Staff Represents stable staff employed by licensed race horse trainers Membership  m 933, f 770 total 1,703 NASUWT National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers 5 King Street, London WC2E 8SD Tel  0207420 9670 Fax 0207420 9679 Email nasuwt@mail.nasuwt.org.uk Web www.teachersunion.org.uk Membership email  membership@mail.nasuwt.org.uk General secretary  Chris Keates Main trades education Represents teachers and is the only TUC affiliated teachers' union to organise across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland Membership  m 76,865 f 198,046 total 274,911 Nautilus International Oceanair House, 750/760 High Road, London E11 3BB Tel  0208989 6677 Fax 0208530 1015 Email enquiries@nautilusint.org Web www.nautilusint.org General secretary  Mark Dickinson Main trades merchant navy and all related areas Membership  m 15,562 f 353 total 15,915 NGSU Nationwide Group Staff Union Middleton Farmhouse, 37 Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury, Oxon OX17 2QT Tel  01295710 767 Fax 01295712 580 Email ngsu@ngsu.org.uk Web www.ngsu.org.uk General secretary  Tim Poil Main trades all staff within the Nationwide Building Society Group, including Nationwide, Nationwide International Ltd, Nationwide Life Ltd, Nationwide Trust Ltd and UCB Home Loans Membership  m 3,774 f 10,178 total 13,952 NUJ National Union of Journalists Headland House, 308 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP Tel  0207278 7916 Fax 0207837 8143 Email info@nuj.org.uk Web www.nuj.org.uk General secretary  Jeremy Dear Main trades journalists, photographers, new media and PR Membership  m 18,288 f 11,670 total 29,958 NUM National Union of Mineworkers Miners' Offices, 2 Huddersfield Rd, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2LS Tel  01226215 555 Fax 01226215 561 Email chris.kitchen@num.org.uk Web www.num.org.uk General secretary  Chris Kitchen Main trades coal mining NUT National Union of Teachers Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BD Tel  0207388 6191 Fax 0207387 8458 Web www.teachers.org.uk General secretary  Christine Blower Main trades teachers Membership  m 69,751 f 224,184 total 293,935 P Back to top PCS Public and Commercial Services Union 160 Falcon Road, London SW11 2LN Tel  0207924 2727 Fax 0207924 1847 Web www.pcs.org.uk General secretary  Mark Serwotka Main trades government departments and agencies, public bodies, private sector information technology and other service companies Membership  m 120,049 f 180,175 total total 300,224 PFA Professional Footballers' Association 20 Oxford Court, Bishopsgate, Manchester M2 3WQ Tel  0161236 0575 Fax 0161228 7229 Email info@thepfa.co.uk Web www.givemefootball.com General secretary  Gordon Taylor, BSc(Econ), HonDArt, Hon MA Main trades professional football Membership  m 3,931 f 0 total 3,931 POA Prison Officers' Association Cronin House, 245 Church Street, London N9 9HW Tel  0208803 0255 Fax 0208803 1761 Web www.poauk.org.uk General secretary  Brian Caton Main trades persons employed in any penal or secure establishment or special hospital as a prison officer, a nursing grade, a non-industrial stores grade and NHS secure forensic staff Membership  m 26,519 f 9,831 total 36,350 Prospect New Prospect House, 8 Leake Street, London, SE1 7NN Tel  0207902 6600 Fax 0207902 6667 Email enquiries@prospect.org.uk Web www.prospect.org.uk General secretary  Paul Noon Main trades engineering, scientific, managerial & professional staff in agriculture, defence, electricity supply, energy, environment, health & safety, heritage, industry, law & order, shipbuilding, transport Merged with Connect 01/01/2010 Membership  m 93,2654 f 27,717 total 120,982 R Back to top RMT National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers 39 Chalton Street, London NW1 1JD Tel  0207387 4771 Fax 0207387 4123 Web www.rmt.org.uk General secretary  Bob Crow Main trades railways and shipping, underground, road transport Membership  m 70,737 f 9,304 total 80,041 S Back to top SCP Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists 1 Fellmongers Path, Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 3LY Tel  0845450 3720 Fax 0845450 3721 Email enq@scpod.org Web www.feetforlife.org General secretary  Chief executive Ms Joanna Brown Membership  m 2,522 f 6,366 total 8,888 SoR Society of Radiographers 207 Providence Square, Mill Street, London SE1 2EW Tel  0207740 7200 Fax 0207740 7233 Web www.sor.org General secretary  Chief exec officer Richard Evans Main trades National Health Service Membership  m 3,114 f 16,019 total 19,133 SUDBS Staff Union Dunfermline Building Society Caledonian House Carnegie Avenue Dunfermilne KY11 8PJ Tel  01383627749 Fax 01383627800 General secretary  Chair: June Price SURGE 1 Providence Place Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 1HG Tel  01756692000 Fax 08706013230 Email Brian.McDaid@hml.co.uk General secretary  Chair Brian McDaid Main trades the unions representing staff employed by the Skipton Building Society and wholely owned subsidiaries The union for staff of the Skipton Building Society Membership  m 726, f 576 total 1,302 T Back to top TSSA Transport Salaried Staffs' Association Walkden House, 10 Melton Street, London NW1 2EJ Tel  0207387 2101 Fax 0207383 0656 Email enquiries@tssa.org.uk Web www.tssa.org.uk General secretary  Gerry Doherty Main trades administrative, clerical, supervisory, managerial, professional and technical employees of railways, London Underground, buses, road haulage, port authorities and waterways in Great Britain and Ireland. Also employees in the travel trade, hotel and catering industries Membership  m 20,551 f 8,528 total 29,079 U Back to top UBAC H13, PO Box 88, Croft Road, Crossflatts, Bingley BD16 2UA Tel  07721978154 Fax 07747756214 Email ubac@bbg.co.uk General secretary  David Matthews Main trades Represents staff in the Bradford and Bingley Group and Alltel Mortgage Solutions Transferred engagements to Advance in April 2009 Membership  m 433 f 940 total 1,373 UCAC Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru Prif Swyddfa UCAC, Ffordd Penglais, Aberystwyth SY23 3EU Tel  01970639950 Fax 01970626 765 Email ucac@athrawon.com Web www.athrawon.com General secretary  Elaine Edwards Main trades education - teachers and lecturers Membership  m 813 f 3,041 total 3,854 UCATT Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians UCATT House, 177 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9RL Tel  0207622 2442 Fax 0207720 4081 Email info@ucatt.org.uk Web www.ucatt.org.uk General secretary  Alan Ritchie Main trades construction and building Membership  m 128,728 f 2,131 total 130,859 UCU University and College Union Carlow Street, London NW1 7LH Tel  0207756 2500 Fax 0207756 2501 Email hq@ucu.org.uk Web www.ucu.org.uk General secretary  Sally Hunt Main trades academic and academic related staff in higher education, further education, adult education, land-based education and prison education Membership  m 61,132 f 56,331 total 117,463 UNISON UNISON, 1 Mabledon Place, London, WC1H 9AJ Tel  0845355 0845 Fax 0207551 1101 Web www.unison.org.uk General secretary  Dave Prentis Main trades local government, health care, the water, gas and electricity industries, further and higher education, schools, transport, voluntary sector, housing associations, police support staff Membership  m 408,600 f 953,400 total 1,362,000 Unite Amicus Section: 35 King Street, London, WC2E 8JG. TGWU section: Transport House, 128 Theobald's Road, Holborn, London WC1X 8TN Tel  02074208900 (Amicus) 020 76112500 (TGWU) Fax 02072404723 (Amicus) 020 76112555 (TGWU) Web www.unitetheunion.org.uk General secretary  Joint Gen Secs Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson Main trades manufacturing, engineering, energy, construction, IT, defence aerospace, motor industry, civil aviation, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, steel and metals, shipbuilding, scientists, technologists, professional and managerial staff, electronics and telecommunications, tobacco, food and drink, textiles, ceramics, paper, printing, professional staff in universities, commercial sales, the voluntary sector, banking and financial services, and the National Health Service, administrative, clerical, technical and supervisory; agriculture; building, construction and civil engineering; chemical, oil and rubber manufacture; civil air transport; docks and waterways; food, drink and tobacco; general workers; passenger services; power and engineering; public services; road transport commercial; textiles; vehicle building and automotive. Unite is the new general union, created in 2007 from the merger of the TGWU and Amicus. Membership  m 1,201,103 f 356,789 total 1,557,892 Unity Hillcrest House, Garth Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 2AB Tel  01782272 755 Fax 01782284 902 Web www.unitytheunion.org.uk General secretary  Geoff Bagnall Main trades the ceramics industry (all areas) Membership  m 3,776 f 2,095 total 5,871 URTU United Road Transport Union Almond House, Oak Green, Stanley Green Business Park, Cheadle Hulme, SK8 6QL Tel  0800526639 Fax 0161861 0976 Email info@urtu.com Web www.urtu.com General secretary  Robert Monks Main trades drivers, warehousing, ancillary workers in the logistics and food sectors USDAW Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers 188 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 6LJ Tel  0161224 2804 Fax 0161257 2566 Email enquiries@usdaw.org.uk Web www.usdaw.org.uk General secretary  John Hannett Main trades retail, distributive, food processing and manufacturing, laundries, catering, chemical processing, pharmaceutical, home shopping, warehouses, insurance agents, clerical, milkround and dairy process, call centres Membership  m 156,984 f 213,779 total 370,763 W Back to top WGGB The Writers' Guild of Great Britain 40 Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4RX Tel  0207833 0777 Fax 0207833 4777 Email admin@writersguild.org.uk Web www.writersguild.org.uk General secretary  Bernie Corbett Main trades television, radio, film, books, theatre and multimedia Membership  m 893, f 460 total 1,333 Y Back to top YISA Yorkshire Independent Staff Association c/o Yorkshire Building Society, Yorkshire House, Yorkshire Drive, Rooley Lane, Bradford BD5 8LJ Tel  01274472453 Email kmwatson@ybs.co.uk General secretary  Karen Watson Membership  m 411 f 935 total 1,346