Origins of NALGO
NALGO, the National and Local Government Officers’ Association, was a prominent British trade union founded in 1905. It began as an association of local municipal guilds (professional network/trade union for public sector and local council employees). It had a focus on establishing a pension scheme, improving pay and working conditions, and stamping out the nepotism that was then rife in local government. Highly influential in representing local government employees, health workers, and utility staff, the union evolved dramatically as the public sector expanded between the 1950s and 1970s.
The expansion years
During this era of expansion, British government legislation—specifically the Industrial Relations Act 1971—sought to curb trade union powers. This prompted parts of NALGO to become increasingly radicalised. This shift led to the union’s first official strike in Leeds in 1970, followed by its first national strike, involving social workers, during the winter of 1978–79. Beyond industrial action, NALGO established itself as a leading campaigning voice for equal pay, wider workplace equality, and international issues. Driven by this active advocacy, total membership surpassed 700,000 by 1977, cementing NALGO as the largest white-collar trade union in the United Kingdom.
NALGO in the Thatcher years
Things shifted again after the election of the Thatcher government in 1979. NALGO organised strong opposition to many of the administration’s core policies. They campaigned heavily against privatisation, deregulation, and the introduction of market mechanisms across local government, education, and the National Health Service (NHS).
The merger
After decades of standalone advocacy, NALGO’s era as an independent entity concluded in 1993. It amalgamated with two other major public sector unions—NUPE (the National Union of Public Employees) and COHSE (the Confederation of Health Service Employees)—to form UNISON. Upon this dissolution, NALGO’s vast membership transferred over, forming the foundational core of UNISON’s modern organisation.
