The Involvement and Participation Association (IPA) was founded in 1884 as the Labour Association for Promoting Co-operative Production based on the Co-partnership of the Workers (known as the Labour Co-partnership Association). In 1901 it became the Labour Co-partnership Association, in 1928 the Industrial Co-partnership Association, and in 1972 the Industrial Participation Association. It took its present name in 1989. The association was incorporated in 1950. On 1 May 2023 IPA merged with the Institute of Employment Studies (IES) and is now an independently operating team within IES.
John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow CB, pictured, was one of the first members and subsequently president of the Labour Co-Partnership Association
The IPA archive is held at the Modern Records Centre at the University of Warwick.
Founding Minute
“On Monday, June 2nd, 1884, during the sitting of the Annual Cooperative Congress, a conference of friends of labour was convened by the Cooperative (Productive) Federation, and held in the Central Cooperative Hall at Derby. Present 200 to 300 delegates from Cooperative Societies and others.
Mr R Hilliard, president of the Derby Cooperative Provident Society, presided.
Mr E Owen Greening made a statement (on behalf of and at the request of the Cooperative Productive Federation) stating the amount of success which had so far attended the establishment of cooperative workshops based upon the partnership of labour.
After a lengthened discussion it was moved by Mr A Scotton of Derby, seconded by Mr Johnson of Bolton and resolved:
- That this conference approves of the formation of a propagandist Committee and a propagandist fund to arouse working men, and public opinion generally to the importance of the movement for making workers everywhere partners in workshops both as regards profits and shares.
- That the following gentlemen be a General Committee with power to invite leading cooperative trade-unionists, and friends of labour to join them
- That the General Committee have power to appoint an Executive
The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman”
“A meeting of the General propagandist Committee was held in the Exhibition Hall at the Athenceum, Derby, on Wednesday, June 4th, 1884.
Mr Joseph Greenwood of the Hebden Bridge Julian Manufacturing Society in the chair.
It was resolved
- That the following be an Executive Committee with power to add to their number: – Messrs E V Neale, Lloyd-Jones, E O Greening, E W Greening, Bolton, King, and Harold Cox”