// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Laurie Sapper? Sapping my interest
Laurence Joseph Sapper (15 September 1922 – 26 August 1989) was a British legal expert and trade union leader who became known for organising university teachers.
Biography
[edit]Laurie Sapper was born into a Jewish family in London's East End.[1] He spent most of his childhood in Hammersmith and attended Latymer Upper School.[2] His younger brother Alan also went on to be a noted trade union leader.[3]
In World War II, Sapper was a Senior Instructor in the Royal Air Force. During this time, he joined the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB).[4] After the war, he worked for the Ministry of Agriculture while qualifying as a barrister. However, he never practised law; instead he wrote and spoke about legal issues.[4] His publications included A Practical Guide to Your Job and the Law (1969) and numerous articles on law reform.[1] He also participated in over 300 BBC broadcasts to discuss legal matters for ordinary citizens.[2]
In the 1950s he became active in civil service unions. In 1951 he was Assistant General Secretary of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants. Five years later he moved to the Post Office Engineering Union where he was Deputy General Secretary.[1] In 1969 he was elected General Secretary of the Association of University Teachers (AUT), and remained in that post until 1983. He helped build the AUT into a national organisation that fought for higher pay for university teachers.[5] During his tenure, the AUT affiliated to the Trades Union Congress.[4]
In retirement, Sapper supported the Morning Star group against the CPGB leadership, and defected to the new Communist Party of Britain.[4]
Laurie Sapper died on 26 August 1989. He was survived by his wife Rita and their daughter.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Laurie Sapper". The Daily Telegraph. 31 August 1989. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 Sapper, Alan (6 September 1989). "Laurie Sapper". The Independent. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Barker, Dennis (23 May 2006). "Obituary: Alan Sapper". The Guardian. p. A29.
- 1 2 3 4 "Laurie Sapper". Encyclopedia of Communist Biographies. Graham Stevenson. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016.
- ↑ Fairhall, John (1 September 1989). "Helping dons to be worldly". The Guardian. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
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- 1929 births
- 1983 deaths
- Communist Party of Great Britain members
- Communist Party of Britain members
- General secretaries of British trade unions
- People from Hammersmith
- Royal Air Force personnel of World War II
- English barristers
- English trade unionists
- 20th-century English lawyers
- 20th-century British trade unionists
- English people stubs
- British trade unionist stubs