The Labour Department was established at Conservative Central Office in March 1946, primarily to service and support the Trade Union National Advisory Committee of the National Union.

Following the Keatinge Report of 1952 [for which, see series below 'Committee on Trade Union Policy and Organisation'], the Labour Department was reconstituted as the Industrial Department, with a Divisional Council of Trade Unionists (DCTUs) to be set up in each constituency to deal with and advise on trade union matters and provide a structure for the Area Trade Union Advisory Committees and the national organisation. By 1962 a survey conducted by the Industrial Department returned 167 DCTUs in existence out of a total of 547 constituencies. On 6th March, 1964, a further reform abolished the DCTUs and replaced them with a constituency trade unionists’ advisory committee as an integral part of the constituency organisation.

Falling into decline in the 1960s the trade union work of Central Office was revived by Lord Thorneycroft, then Party Chairman, and the Industrial Department was reconstituted as the Trade Union Department in 1975. National Organisers and field agents were appointed, and encouragement given to set up Conservative Trade Union groups in the constituencies.