The Scottish Commercial Motormen's Union 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 ( ...

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 ...

. It merged with 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 ...

in 1971.

History

The union was founded in 1898 as the Scottish Carters' Association.

Hugh Lyon Hugh Lyon (19 September 1872 – 1940) was a Scottish trade union leader. Born in Glasgow, Lyon grew up in Falkirk. He left school at the age of eleven to work alongside his father at a local foundry. He joined the Falkirk Central Iron ...

was appointed as its organiser in 1901, and was elected as general secretary the following year, at which point the union was heavily indebted and had only 300 members."Obituary: Mr Hugh Lyon", ''

Glasgow Herald ''The Herald'' is a Scottish broadsheet newspaper founded in 1783. ''The Herald'' is the longest running national newspaper in the world and is the eighth oldest daily paper in the world. The title was simplified from ''The Glasgow Herald'' in ...

'', 20 June 1940, p.3 He spent his first five months supporting a strike in

Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...

; during this time, the central office closed down and the union nearly shut down, but the strike was so successful that the union's executive decided to retain Lyon. Lyon gained recognition for the union from

Glasgow Town Council Glasgow City Council is the Local government in Scotland, local government authority for the Glasgow, City of Glasgow, Scotland. It was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, largely with the boundaries of the post ...

in 1904, and several strikes were won early in the 1910s, giving it membership across the nation, peaking at around 12,000 in 1912. In 1908, it was renamed as the Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association, in order to assist with the recruitment of drivers of motor vans. However, Lyon incorrectly believed that motor vehicles were a passing craze, and that the union should focus on recruiting carters. This led to a decline in membership during the 1920s and 1930s, worsened by Lyon's refusal to allow the union to join the Transport Workers' Federation, which led to a large number of demarcation disputes. Finally, in 1936, the union's executive lost patience and dismissed him.

Election results

The union sponsored a Labour Party candidate in the 1970 general election:Labour Party, ''Report of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party'', pp.289-312

General Secretaries

:1898: John Sampson :1902:

:1936: Robert Taylor :1944:

John Brannigan John Brannigan (5 January 1900 – 18 July 1959) was a Scottish trade union leader. Brannigan was born in Cambusnethan, Lanarkshire, to Patrick Brannigan, a steel dresser and journeyman, and his wife, Helen (''née'' Lynch). He found work ...

:1959:

Alex Kitson Alexander Harper Kitson (21 October 1921 – 2 August 1997) was a British trade unionist and Labour Party official. Kitson grew up in Kirknewton, from where he undertook milk deliveries to Morningside alongside Sean Connery.Tam Dalyell,Obit ...

History

Election results

General Secretaries

References

See also