David S. Gardner (died 1913) was a British trade unionist. Born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, Gardner was a member of the

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 Mi ...

(ASE). In 1893, he was elected to its new executive, representing Division 1 (Scotland and Carlisle), which required him to move to London. Gardner supported the

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse working-class candidates ...

(ILP), and argued unsuccessfully that the union should support G. N. Barnes as an ILP candidate in the 1894 Govan by-election. He was a leader of the opposition to general secretary

John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...

, arguing as early as 1893 that he should be removed from office for drunkenness. Anderson was eventually dismissed in 1896, and Barnes succeeded him. Gardner, with Barnes, argued in 1900 that the union should affiliate to the new Labour Representation Committee, something supported by the membership but on very low turnouts. In 1903, Gardner was elected as chairman of the executive of the ASE. Gardner supported building links with other unions, arguing that the union should join the

Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), often known as the Confed is a trade union confederation in the United Kingdom. History The confederation was founded in December 1890 as the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuil ...

and the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). It did affiliate to the GFTU, and in 1906, Gardner succeeded Barnes on its executive council, becoming treasurer in 1908. In 1909, Barnes stood down as general secretary of the ASE, and Gardner stood for the post, losing to Jenkin Jones by 18,000 votes to 15,000. By this point, he was in declining health, leading him to leave his GFTU post and take time off from his ASE role, eventually resigning in 1910. He died three years later.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gardner, David Year of birth missing 1913 deaths Trade unionists from Glasgow