Robert Williams (trade union leader)

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For other persons named Robert Williams, see Robert Williams (disambiguation).

Robert Williams (1881 – 1920's) was a British trade union organiser.

He was born in Swansea, Wales, and began his working life as a coal trimmer at the docks. He became active in his union, the National Amalgamated Labourers' Union, at the age of 16 and eventually became its president. He went on to serve as the secretary of the National Transport Workers' Federation after its foundation in 1910 and became best known for his work with that body. He was also active within the Labour Party, the General Council of the Trades Union Congress and other organisations. In 1920 he was part of a deputation of British trade unionists who travelled to Moscow for talks on the founding of a new trade union international, which was formed the following year as the Red International of Labour Unions. Williams also played a prominent role in establishing the Amalgamated Marine Workers' Union in 1922 as an NTWF-sponsored rival to Havelock Wilson's shipowner-friendly National Union of Seamen. Williams was widely regarded as a left-winger, but his reputation suffered after the débacle of Black Friday which led to accusations of having betrayed the miners. In the 1920s, Williams was a Director of the Daily Herald.