Few, if any, trade union leaders have served on the executives of both the Irish Trade Union Congress (ITUC)/Irish Congress Of Trade Unions (ICTU) and the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) or succeeded in becoming general secretary of a British-based union from an Irish base. Jack Macgougan did both. His under-reported death in Milton Keynes, England, on December 12th, 1998 thus saw the passing of arguably one of the most influential figures in Irish labour history this century.
Born in Belfast on August 21st, 1913, John (Jack) Macgougan inherited his trade unionism and socialist politics from his father John, a fitter-turner, who was an official of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. A bright lad, young Jack went into an accountant's office but was sacked for organising the staff. He was active in the Socialist Party, an affiliate of the Northern Ireland Labour Party, and contested the 1938 election in Oldpark. John de Courcy Ireland recalls Harry Midgley sporting a Union Jack at his meetings, John Glass a green banner but Macgougan a huge red flag!
Macgougan became chair of the NILP and crystallised his thoughts on sectarianism and the need for unity - in all its senses - in a pamphlet, The Londonderry Air. He became disenchanted by the increasingly partitionist line of the NILP and was part of the brief attempt by the Irish Labour Party to organise in Northern Ireland, unsuccessfully contesting the South Down constituency in 1950. He did gain a seat on Belfast Corporation and reinforced the idea that he was untrustworthy of his background as he exposed sectarian exploitation, gerrymandering and the widespread denial of civil rights.
He had been appointed Irish Organising Secretary of the National Union of Tailoring and Garment Workers (NUTGW), proving himself an able administrator, shrewd negotiator and a thoughtful, respected influence within the ITUC. He served as President, ITUC in 1958 and pushed hard for the reunification of the movement that saw the establishment of the ICTU in 1959. He was President of the new body in 1963, quite an achievement for someone from a relatively small union. His talents won even greater reward in 1968 when he became General Secretary, NUTGW, a position he held until his retirement in 1979. Only age robbed him of the presidency of the TUC, on whose general council he served from 1970 to 1979.
Macgougan exuded integrity and intelligence. He was a tough opponent, an able representative and negotiator, an excellent organiser and a great speaker and writer. He was widely read and his accounting background gave him a facility to handle conflicting data with ease. Away from work, Jack was humorous, fond of greyhounds and football - he followed Glentoran and always sold me Home Farm development tickets when I saw him. He leaves a wife Lizzie (Betty), a daughter and two sons, who have lost a loving partner and parent.
Irish labour has lost a visionary and pioneering voice, an ardent campaigner for unity who put class before community and who fought all his life for the right of workers the world over to control their own destinies.
F.D.