Shanley Jock

Jock Shanley

Born in 1903 in Aberdeen, he was educated at Ruskin College and the Central Labour College. Before the Second World War, he was general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Upholsterers. After the war, with Bob Shuke and Alf Taylor, he was an architect of the National Labour Agreement that ended the sweat-shop conditions of the furniture manufacturing industry.
 
His union merged with the National Union of Furniture Trades Operatives (NUFTO), which in turn amalgamated with the woodcutting machinists in 1971 to form the Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT), he retired to allow space for a younger man to take over his responsibilities.
 
Noted in the union movement for his academic knowledge of Marxism and labour related questions, he was a committee member of the Marx Memorial Library for over 25 years, for many of which he served as vice-chair, and continued to make contributions to the Library’s journal. He died aged 86 in 1989.
 
Source: Morning Star September ? 1989

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