The Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1971 by the merger of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives (NUFTO) and the Amalgamated Society of Woodcutting Machinists. In 1978, the National Union of Funeral Service Operatives merged with it, while the National Society of Brushmakers and General Workers joined in 1983. The following year, its total membership was 85,407. The union was a member of the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions. Initially, the union had six trade groups, reduced to five in the 1980s: upholstery, soft furnishing and bedding, woodcutting machinists, funeral services, flat glass and processing, and supervisory and clerical. The union was known for its left-wing outlook, inherited from NUFTO. In the 1981 Labour Party deputy leadership election, it supported Tony Benn. Some of FTAT's Silentnight members, based in Barnoldswick, were involved in Britain's longest ever strike, from 1985 until 1987. By 1993, membership was down to 31,642, and the union merged with the GMB, forming the bulk of its new "Construction, Furniture, Timber and Allied" section. Election results The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in several Parliamentary elections. General Secretaries 1971: Alf Tomkins 1975: Robert Shube 1978: Ben Rubner 1986: Colin Christopher References External links Catalogue of the FTAT archives, held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1971 Trade unions disestablished in 1993 1971 establishments in the United Kingdom Furniture industry trade unions GMB (trade union) amalgamations Trade unions based in London