Disgruntled with the long hours and low rates of pay, not to mention what they saw as the dreadful exploitation of children’s fantasies for profit, an attempt was made more than 50 years ago by unemployed actors, part-time bar staff and others donning the red suit to create a "Brotherhood of Father Christmas and Santa Claus trade union" in Britain. The Brotherhood of Father Christmas and Santa Claus submitted its application to register as a union to the Registrar of Friendly Societies (which then performed the role now carried out by the office of the Certification Officer) and began a lengthy correspondence over its proposed structure and objectives.