James Campbell (17 April 1895[1] – 6 November 1957) was a Scottish trade union leader.

Born in Glasgow, Campbell worked as a ticket collector for the Glasgow and South Western Railway, and joined the National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) in 1911.[2] During World War I, he served with the Royal Engineers.[3]

On his return, Campbell rejoined the railways, and was elected as branch secretary in the NUR.[3] He held a succession of increasingly senior positions in the union, eventually becoming a full-time organiser, then the chief organiser for Ireland, and assistant general secretary.[2]

In 1953, Campbell was elected as general secretary of the NUR, and he was also elected onto the General Council of the Trades Union Congress. While in office, he visited the Soviet Union,[2] with Tom Hollywood and four other union representatives. Just outside Leningrad, the car in which he and Hollywood were travelling was hit by a bus, and both were killed.[4] Campbell was 62.

References

  1. ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary", Report of the 1958 Trades Union Congress, p.311
  3. ^ a b "Obituary: Mr J. Campbell", Manchester Guardian, 7 November 1957
  4. ^ "Second death in car crash", Manchester Guardian, 8 November 1957
Trade union offices Preceded byJames Young President of the Scottish Trades Union Congress 1945–1946 Succeeded byJames Duncan Preceded byJim Figgins Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen 1948–1953 Succeeded bySidney Greene Preceded byJim Figgins General Secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen 1953–1957 Succeeded bySidney Greene Preceded byJim Baty, Jim Figgins and George Thorneycroft Railways representative on the General Council of the Trades Union Congress 1953–1957 With: Bill WebberJim Baty (1953–1955)Albert Hallworth (1955–1957) Succeeded bySidney Greene, Albert Hallworth and Bill Webber Preceded byJim Baty and Jock Tiffin Trades Union Congress representative to the AFL–CIO 1955 With: Tom Eccles Succeeded byWilfred Blackwell Beard and Joseph O'Hagan
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