The Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicle Workers (T&VW) was a

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

representing workers on

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

in the United Kingdom. In 1889, the

Manchester and Salford Tramway Company Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...

began offering a reward to members of the public to inform on any acts of possible fraud committed by its staff. Workers on the tramways objected, fearing that the system would be abused, and founded a union to protect their interests, the Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Hackney Carriage Employees and Horsemen in General. While it initially had only 400 members, it immediately employed a full-time general secretary, George Jackson, who initially had to survive on only £1 4s a week. Under Jackson's leadership, the union grew rapidly. By 1892, it had 2,723 members and had spread as far as

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

and

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

. That year, it was renamed as the Tramway, Hackney Carriage Employees and Horsemen's Association. Several small unions merged in: the Belfast Carters' Union, Bolton Tramway Union, Edinburgh and District Tramway and Carmen's Union, Huddersfield Carters' Union, and the Manchester, Salford and District Lurrymen and Carters' Union. Membership continued to grow, reaching 10,000 in 1901, when it became the "Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicle Workers". In 1903, the

Edinburgh Tramway Company Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

locked out workers in an effort to break the union's power, but the union proved successful. This inspired the London Tramway Employees' Union to amalgamate in 1904, and by 1910 membership had reached 17,076. The union badge was blue in colour, and given this and its reputation for being less militant than rival unions, it was nicknamed the "blue union".{{cite web , title=London and Provincial Union of Licensed Vehicle Workers , url=http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/LVW , website=Modern Records Centre , publisher=University of Warwick , accessdate=1 June 2018 The union was a founder constituent of the

National Transport Workers' Federation The National Transport Workers' Federation (NTWF) was an association of British trade unions. It was formed in 1910 to co-ordinate the activities of various organisations catering for dockers, seamen, tramwaymen and road transport workers. History ...

in 1916. Three years later, it merged with the

London and Provincial Union of Licensed Vehicle Workers The London and Provincial Union of Licensed Vehicle Workers (LPU) was a trade union representing taxi drivers in and around London. It was regarded as one of the most militant unions in the country. History In 1890, the Metropolitan Cab Drivers' ...

, forming the

United Vehicle Workers The United Vehicle Workers was a trade union representing drivers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1919 when the London and Provincial Union of Licensed Vehicle Workers merged with the Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicl ...

union.

General Secretaries

:1889: George Jackson :1917: Stanley Hirst

References

Trade unions established in 1889 Transportation trade unions Trade unions disestablished in 1919