Ulster Special Constabulary Association

The Ulster Special Constabulary Association (USCA) was a loyalist group active in Northern Ireland during the early 1970s.

[3] Initially it functioned mainly as a pressure group, demanding the introduction of tougher laws against the Irish Republican Army as well as a return to a more localised form of policing as typified by the B Specials.

[4] Under Green the group co-operated closely with the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), helping them set up weekend roadblocks for five weeks immediately prior to the strike.

[5] During the strike itself the USCA was part of a faction of minor loyalist paramilitary groups, represented by the Orange Volunteers, Ulster Volunteer Service Corps, Down Orange Welfare and themselves, who pushed for Bill Craig to take a leading role in the running of the strike.

The UDA and UVF had hoped to exclude politicians from the conduct of the strike as much as possible but ultimately acquiesced and allowed both Craig and Ian Paisley to play prominent public roles in the stoppage.