Walter
Citrine was born in Wallasay in 1887. An electrician by trade, he
became an official in his union (ETU) in 1914. Twelve years later
he was appointed general secretary of the Trade
Union Congress. A post he held for twenty years. He also held
the post of president of the International Federation of the Trade
Unions (1928-1945).
Citrine played an important role in establishing TUC
influence over the Labour Party. He opposed
plans by the Labour Government in 1931 to cut unemployment benefits
and as a result led the campaign to have Ramsay
MacDonald, Philip Snowden and Jimmy
Thomas to be expelled from the party.
Citrine fully supported Clement Attlee
and the 1945 Labour Government's policy of nationalization. He served
on the National Coal Board and became chairman of the Central Electricity
Board. Walter Citrine, who was granted a peerage in 1947, died in
1983.
(1)
In his autobiography Philip Snowden
described telling the Trade Union Congress
about his plans in 1931 to cut wages and unemployment benefits (1934)
The
spokesman of the Trade Unions was Mr. Bevin and Mr. Citrine, the Secretary
of the Trade Union Committee. This deputation took up the attitude
of opposition to practically all the economy proposals which had been
explained to them. They opposed any interference with the existing
terms and conditions of the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, including
the limitation of statutory benefit to 26 weeks. We were told the
Trade Unions would oppose the suggested economies on teachers' salaries
and pay of the men in the Fighting Services, and any suggestions for
reducing expenditure on works in relief of unemployment. The only
proposal to which the General Council were not completely opposed
was that the salaries of Ministers and Judges should be subjected
to a cut!
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