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Reginald Miller founder of the General Workers'
Union, was born at Sliema on 15th November, 1898. He
matriculated in 1914, entered the University and
started reading Literature, but he had to give up
his studies owing to illness and strained financial
circumstances. He joined the Dockyard clerical staff
in 1917.
In 1930, Miller was elected Secretary of the
Admiralty Branch of the Civil Service Clerical
Association. In 1935, he represented the CSCA at the
annual conference at Croton, and again at Margate,
England, in 1938. A year after, he became Secretary
of the Dockyard and Imperial Workers' Union.
Miller resigned from the Dockyard and dedicated
himself to trade unionism. He started to mould the
interests of the various categories of workers in to
the union. In August 1941, he addressed a meeting of
workers at Floriana, then another in September 1942,
and finally he launched the GWU at the Msida Mass
meetings on 5th October 1943. Under Miller, the GWU
membership increased to 25,000. He was the Editor of
Torch from its first issue on 8th July, 1944.
Miller became Secretary of the national Assembly
convoked in Valletta in January 1945. He was also
appointed a member of the Finance Committee in May
1945; of the MLP Delegation to London in July 1945;
and of the Constitutional Committee in June 1946.
From 1947, miller concentrated on the interest of
the GWU until he retired on pension in 1958.
Reggie Miller died in England on 21st. July, 1970. |
