ABSTRACT
The NGA (82) came into being on 29 March 1982 with the amalgamation of SLADE and the National Graphical Association. 1 The latter had been created by an amalgamation in January 1964 of the London Typographical Society (LTS) and the Typographical Association (TA). 2 Between 1964 and March 1982, five other print unions transferred their engagements into the NGA. 3 Over the period 1964 to 1991 the NGA’s membership diversified from a craft to an industrial base. On its formation in 1964 it was a union of compositors, readers and letterpress machine managers. At the time of the merger with SOGAT, in addition to these groups it organised telegraphist operators and technicians, stereotypers and electrotypers, litho plate-makers, litho machine managers, litho artists, designers and engravers, camera operators, tele-ad operators, wage clerks, sales staff, supervisors, tin printers, silk screen printers, pre-press, press and finishing trades in the wallcoverings’ industry. In March 1991, NGA membership stood at 130,000. Another feature of its membership was a growing number of female members. In 1972 it had only 203 female members, but by 1991 this figure had increased to 8,000.
