The Manchester Friendly Association of Operative Bakers was established in 1849, and by 1854 it was led by Thomas Hodson.

The new union gained prominence when its campaign for improvements in working conditions led to the Bakehouse Regulations Act 1863.

Other unions gradually joined, including the South Wales Federation of Journeymen Bakers in 1893.

This led its London organiser, C. Mann, to form the rival National Union of Bakery Trade Workers in 1913.

[3] In July 2015 the BFAWU endorsed Jeremy Corbyn's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election.

[8] In September 2021 it announced during Labour's annual conference that it would disaffiliate from the party, citing dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer's leadership.