The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), often known as the Confed is 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 ( ...

confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

History

The confederation was founded in December 1890 as the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades by small

craft union Craft unionism refers to a model of trade unionism in which workers are organised based on the particular craft or trade in which they work. It contrasts with industrial unionism, in which all workers in the same industry are organized into the sa ...

s, on the initiative of Robert Knight of the

United Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders The Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers (ASB) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. Many of its members worked in shipbuilding, in which industry it was the leading trade union, while over tim ...

, primarily in response to the formation of a National Federation of Shipbuilders and Engineers by employers. By 1895, sixteen unions were affiliated, with a total membership of 150,000.Herbert Tracey, ''Seventy years of trade unionism, 1868-1938'', p.123 However, the prominent

Amalgamated Society of Engineers The Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) was a major British trade union, representing factory workers and mechanics. History The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and M ...

(ASE) refused to join. The ASE finally joined in 1905 but, failing to persuade the other members to unite with it in a single

industrial union Industrial unionism is a trade union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union, regardless of skill or trade, thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in ...

, withdrew again in 1914. Meanwhile, unions representing unskilled workers were initially excluded; the

National Amalgamated Union of Labour The National Amalgamated Union of Labour (NAUL) was a general union in the United Kingdom. History The trade union was founded in Feb 1889 as the United Tyne and District Labourers Association and in March 1889 the Amalgamated Society of Shipyar ...

was finally admitted in 1908, and the

National Union of Gasworkers and General Labourers The National Union of General Workers (NUGW) was an early general union in the United Kingdom, the most important general union of its era. History The union was founded in 1889 as the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers by Will ...

in 1910, and only after they had given assurances that they would permit the craft unions to retain a leading role in the organisation. Because it would not sign a similar agreement, the

Workers' Union The Workers' Union was a general union based in the United Kingdom, but with some branches in other countries. During the 1910s, it was the largest general union in the UK, but it entered a rapid decline in the 1920s, and eventually became part ...

was never admitted. In its early years, the Federation focussed on resolving demarcation disputes, but it soon concentrated on making national agreements for the engineering and shipbuilding industries, allowing the largest union in each trade to take the lead in negotiations.Arthur Ivor Marsh, ''Trade union handbook'', p.84 The confederation adopted its current form and name in 1936. From 1941, the CSEU co-operated with the

National Union of Foundry Workers The National Union of Foundry Workers (NUFW) was a trade union representing workers in foundries in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1920 with the merger of the Associated Iron Moulders of Scotland, the Amalgamated Society ...

and the

Amalgamated Engineering Union The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major United Kingdom, British trade union. It merged with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992. History ...

in the National Engineering Joint Trades Movement, convincing these two unions to affiliate in 1944 and 1946 respectively. The confederation then represented the vast majority of unionised workers in the relevant industries.J. C. Doherty, ''Historical dictionary of organized labor'', pp.72-73 By 1977, the CSEU had 23 affiliates and 2.4 million members, with most workers organised in the relevant sections of the

Transport and General Workers Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

General and Municipal Workers Union The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom which has more than 460,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National Health Service (N ...

and

Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union The Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union, known as the EETPU, was a British trade union formed in 1968 as a union for electricians and plumbers, which went through three mergers from 1992 to now be part of Unite the Un ...

. Members in 1979 were: *

Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers The Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers (ASB) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. Many of its members worked in shipbuilding, in which industry it was the leading trade union, while over tim ...

Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major British trade union. It merged with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992. History The history of t ...

(all four sections held separate memberships) *

Associated Metalworkers' Union The Associated Metalworkers' Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1863 and 1999. It represented semi-skilled foundry workers known as iron dressers or fettlers, who were responsible for removing moulding sand and ...

Association of Patternmakers and Allied Craftsmen The United Patternmakers Association (UPA) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The association was founded in 1872 to represent skilled patternmakers in England, following a strike by patternmakers along the River Tyne and River We ...

Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff The Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff (APEX) was a British trade union which represented clerical and administrative employees. History The Clerks Union was formed in 1890 and later was renamed as the Nation ...

Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs The Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs (ASTMS) was a British trade union which existed between 1969 and 1988. History The ASTMS was created in 1969 when ASSET (the Association of Supervisory Staffs, Executives and Techni ...

Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union The Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union (FTAT) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1971 by the merger of the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives (NUFTO) and the Amalgamated Society of Woodcu ...

General and Municipal Workers' Union The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom which has more than 460,000 members. Its members work in nearly all industrial sectors, in retail, security, schools, distribution, the utilities, social care, the National Health Service (N ...

* National Society of Metal Mechanics *

National Union of Domestic Appliance and General Metal Workers The National Union of Domestic Appliances and General Operatives (NUDAGO) was a trade union representing metal workers in the United Kingdom, principally in the town of Rotherham. It primarily represented workers employed in manufacturing white ...

National Union of Scalemakers The National Union of Scalemakers was a trade union representing workers involved in making weighing scales in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History In 1909, a strike occurred among scalemakers at Messrs Hodgson and Stead, in Manchester. Foll ...

National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers The National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers was a trade union in the United Kingdom and Ireland. History The union was founded in July 1920 as the National Union of Sheet Metal Workers and Braziers wit ...

* Screw, Nut, Bolt and Rivet Trade Union *

Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

(Power & Engineering and Automotive Trade Groups) *

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 U ...

In 1989, membership was still 22 affiliates and 2 million members but, by 2001, this had fallen to 1.2 million members, and a process of union mergers has greatly reduced the number of affiliated unions and the prominence of the organisation. All current affiliates are also members of the

Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...

. By 2017 the union had no direct members and was functioning as a federation of the Unite, GMB, Community, Prospect and UCATT trade unions. Since the merger of UCATT into Unite the number of member unions has fallen to four.

Current members

Community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

* GMB * Prospect *

Unite the Union Unite the Union, commonly known as Unite, is a British and Irish trade union which was formed on 1 May 2007 by the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU). Unite is the second largest trade union in the UK (after ...

General Secretaries

:1890:

William Mosses William Mosses (1858 – 17 May 1943) was a British trade unionist. Mosses was elected as general secretary of the United Patternmakers Association in 1884, and served in the post for 33 years. He supported Robert Knight's initiative to f ...

:1917: Frank Smith :1937: Ernest Gilbert :1942: Gavin Martin :1957: George Barratt :1970: Jack Service :1978: Alex Ferry :1994: Alan Robson :2004: John Wall :2008: Dave Gibbs :2009: Hugh Scullion :2017: Ian Waddell

Presidents

References

8. Angela Tuckett "The Blacksmiths' History. What Smithy Workers gave Trade Unionism" 1974 p250

External links

*
Catalogue of the CSEU archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick {{Authority control National trade union centres of the United Kingdom Engineering trade unions Trade unions established in 1890 Shipbuilding trade unions 1890 establishments in England Trade unions based in London