 It was originally known as the Grimsby Fishermen's Trade Union, but by the end of 1919, it also had members in Aberdeen and Fleetwood, and claimed that more than 5,000 fishermen had signed up.The union's chief rival, in terms of membership and blacklegging during disputes, was the National Union of Seamen (NUS).Although Bingham considered amalgamating with the NUS in 1919, he decided to maintain the independence of the union.