The Universal Alliance of Diamond Workers (UADW) was a small global union federation bringing together workers in the diamond polishing and jewellery making.
[1] Its aims were to provide information on the industrial and social situations relevant to its members, and to conduct its own research.
[2] In its early years, the federation grew, representing 22,700 workers by 1913.
[1] But this gradually declined; by 1982, the federation had affiliates in Belgium, France, Israel, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, but they represented a total of only 10,100 members, making it by far the smallest global union federation.
It began campaigning against poor labour practices in diamond mining, including a call for children under 14 being banned from working in the industry, and a ban on dangerous cobalt "scaifes" (polishing wheels).