The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers (ASW) was a British

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

carpenter Carpentry is a skilled trade and a craft in which the primary work performed is the cutting, shaping and installation of building materials during the construction of buildings, Shipbuilding, ships, timber bridges, concrete formwork, etc. ...

joiner A joiner is an artisan and tradesperson who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in ...

s and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) was a British and Irish trade union, operating in the construction industry. It was founded in 1971, and merged into Unite on 1 January 2017. It was affiliated to the Trades Un ...

in 1971.

History

The ASW was formed in 1921 through the merger of two rival unions: the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners and the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners. The ASW had 176,000 members by 1945, making it the seventh largest union in Britain. Its membership rose to 198,000 by 1956. In 1965, the National Union of Packing Case Makers (Wood and Tin), Box Makers, Sawyers and Mill Workers merged into the ASW. On 1 July 1970 the ASW was merged with

Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators The Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators (ASPD) was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1886 and 1970. History The union had its origins in the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters, founded in 1855, wh ...

and the

Association of Building Technicians The Association of Building Technicians (ABT) was a trade union representing architects, surveyors and related workers in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1919 as the Architects' and Surveyors' Assistants' Professional Union. ...

to form the

Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) was a British and Irish trade union, operating in the construction industry. It was founded in 1971, and merged into Unite on 1 January 2017. It was affiliated to the Trades U ...

. One year later the new union was itself merged with Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers to become the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers Painters and Builders (ASWPB). At the end of 1971 the ASWPB was renamed the

(UCATT).

Election results

The union sponsored a large number of Labour Party candidates, many of whom won election.

Leadership

General Secretaries

:1921:

Alexander Gordon Cameron Alexander Gordon Cameron (15 June 1876 – 30 May 1944) was a British trade unionist and Labour Party politician. Biography Cameron was born in 1876 in Oban, Argyll, and served his apprenticeship as a joiner in Glasgow."Obituary: Mr A. G. Ca ...

:1926: Frank Wolstencroft :1948: Jack McDermott :1959: George Smith

Assistant General Secretaries

:1921: Frank Wolstencroft :1927: Thomas O. Williams :1947: Jack McDermott :1949: George Smith :1959: W. J. Martin :1962: Les Wood

References

External links

Catalogue of the ASW archives
held at the

Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick The Modern Records Centre (MRC) is the specialist archive service of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, located adjacent to the Central Campus Library. It was established in October 1973 and holds the world's largest archive collecti ...

Trade unions established in 1921 Trade unions disestablished in 1970 Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 1921 establishments in the United Kingdom Carpenters' trade unions Trade unions based in London {{UK-trade-union-stub