The Trade Unions International of Chemical, Oil and Allied Workers was a trade union international affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions. It was often known by its French initials, ICPS (Union Internationale des Syndicats des Industries, Chimiques, du Petroles et Similares).
The Union was established at a conference in Budapest, Hungary in March 1950 as the Trade Unions International of Chemical and Allied Workers. It changed its name in 1954 when it expanded its scope to include oil workers. It also represented workers in the glassware, paper and ceramic industries.
In 1998 a Conference was held in Havana which merged Trade Unions International of Energy Workers (formerly known as the Trade Unions International of Miners) and Trade Union International of Metal and Engineering Workers to form the Trade Union International of Energy, Metal, Chemical, Oil and Allied Industries. This organization was reorganized again as the Trade Unions International of Energy Workers in 2007. This left the metal workers an opportunity create a new TUI the next year, Trade Union International of Workers in the Mining, the Metallurgy and the Metal Industries.
The TUI was governed by an international trade conference held every four years. The Conference drew up the groups program, made policy decisions and elected an administrative committee. The latter consisted of 25 members drawn from 20 countries and met once a year. The bureau, composed of the TUI president, vice-presidents, general secretary and secretaries met to ensure the fulfillment of the administrative committees decisions and a permanent secretariat oversaw day-to-day operations. Industrial Commissions were also set up to deal with specific issues. In 1978 there commissions on oil (drilling, refining, oil pipelines, distribution), chemicals-pharmaceuticals, paper board, pulp, cellulose, rubber, glass and ceramics.
In 1955 its headquarters were reported to be in Bucharest, Romania. In 1958 its headquarters was reported to be at 17 Sztalin ter, Budapest VI, Hungary. From 1978 to 1989 it was reported to be at 1415 Budapest, sometimes given the street name Benczur ut 45. In 1991 it was reported at EM26, H 1097.
In 1958 the ICPS claimed membership in 25 countries. In 1976 it claimed 7 million members in 59 affiliated unions in 37 countries. In 1985 it claimed 13 million members in 100 affiliate in 50 countries.
In 1975 the following unions were affiliated with ICPS:
Albania - Conseil Central des Unions Professionelles Argentina - Federacion Argentina de Trabajadores de la Industia Quimicas y Afines Austria - Fraktion Gewerkschaftlicher Linksblock in der Gewerkschaft der Chemiearbeiter Benin - Syndicat National de Travailleurs des Industries Alimentaires et Chimiques, Hotels-Bar, Cafes-Restaurants Bulgaria - Syndicat des Travailleurs de l'Industrie Chimique Bulgaria - Syndicat des Travailleurs de l'Industrie Legare Chile - Sindicato Unico Nacional de Trabajadores de Quimica y Fammaceutica y Ramos Afines Chile - Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores del Plastico China - Oil Workers' Union China - Trade Union of Workers in Heavy Industry Colombia - Federación de los Trabajadores de Petrole Congo - Fédération des Travailleurs des Mines, Petrol, Energie et Assimiles Cuba - Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria Basicos Cuba - Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores del Petrole Czechoslovakia - Federation of Chemical, Paper, Glass and Printing Workers Ecuador - Federación Nacional de Trabajadores del Petrole France - Fédération Nationale des Industries Chimiques, CGT France - Fédération des Travailleurs des Industies Papetiers, CGT France - Fédération Nationale des Travailleurs du Verre, CGT France - Fédération Nationale des Travailleurs de la Ceramique East Germany - Industriegewerkschaft Chemie, Glas und Keramik East Germany - IG Druk und Papier Ghana - General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers' Union Hungary - Chemical Workers' Union Hungary - Printing, Paper and Press Workers Unions Hungary - Building and Building Materials Industry Workers Union India - All India Pharmaceutical Employees' Union India - All India Chemical and Pharmaceutical Employees' Federation India - All India Indian Oxygen and Acetyne Employees' Federation India - Oil and Natural Gas Commission Karamchari Union India - Antibiotics Project Karamchari Sangh Indonesia - Oil Workers' Union (PERBUM) Iraq - General Trade Union of Oil Industry, Minerals and Chemical Workers Italy - Federazione Italiana Lavoratori Poligraficie Cartai Jordan - General Federation of Jordanian Trade Unions Kenya - Kenya Petroleum Oil Workers Union North Korea - Trade Union of Chemical Industry Workers Kuwait - Workers' and Employees' Petroleum Trade Union Madagascar - Union Nationale des Travailleurs du Petrole, du Livre Papier et du Artes Graphiques Nigeria - Gulf Oil Company (Nigeria) Employees and General Workers Union Peru - Federación de Trabajadores de la Industia de Plasticos y Afines Poland - Federation of Chemical Workers Unions Poland - Union des Syndicats de l'Industry du Bois (Papier Carton) Romania - Federation of Chemical Workers Unions Soviet Union - Oil, Chemical and Gas Workers Union Soviet Union - Building and Building Materials Workers Union Soviet Union - Timber, Paper and Wood Workers Union Soviet Union - Public Health Workers Union Sri Lanka - Lanka Petroleum Employees' Union Sri Lanka - Ceylon State Corporation Employees' Union Sudan - Federation of Petroleum Workers Syria - Professional Federation of Petroleum, Electricity and Uruguay - Federación ANCAP Uruguay - Federación Obrera de la Industria del Vidrio Venezuela - Glass Workers Federation Vietnam - National Union of Chemical Workers South Yemen - General Union of Petroleum WorkersThe Union published an Information Bulletin and Information Sheet.
