The Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) was a major 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 (s ...

. It merged with the

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 ...

to form the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union in 1992.

History

The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the

Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society {{Short description, UK trade union The Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society, also known as the Old Mechanics, was an early trade union representing engineers in the United Kingdom. The union was founded on 26 ...

, in 1826, popularly known as the "Old Mechanics". They invited a large number of other unions to become part of what became the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE).Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of British Trade Unions'', vol.3, pp.12-16 In 1920, the ASE put out a fresh call for other unions to merge with it in a renamed Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU). Seventeen unions balloted their members on a possible merger, and nine voted in favour of amalgamation: * Amalgamated Association of Brass Turners, Fitters, Finishers and Coppersmiths *

Amalgamated Instrument Makers' Society The Amalgamated Instrument Makers' Society was a trade union representing workers involved in manufacturing scientific instruments in the United Kingdom. The union was founded in 1887 as the Scientific Instrument Makers' Trade Society. In 1891, ...

Amalgamated Society of General Tool Makers, Engineers and Machinists {{short description, Former trade union of the United Kingdom The Amalgamated Society of General Tool Makers, Engineers and Machinists, often known as the Amalgamated Toolmakers, was a trade union representing factory workers in the United Kingdo ...

* East of Scotland Brass Founders' Society * London United Metal Turners', Fitters' and Finishers' Society * North of England Brass Turners', Fitters' and Finishers' Society * Steam Engine Makers' Society (SEM) * United Kingdom Society of Amalgamated Smiths and Strikers * United Machine Workers' Association The resulting union had a membership of 450,000, about 300,000 coming from the ASE. Jack Leckie addressing a rally, 1922

In 1922 employers, represented by the

Engineering Employers' Federation Make UK, formerly the Engineering Employers' Federation, represents manufacturers in the United Kingdom. Purpose Make UK provides businesses with advice, guidance and support in employment law, employee relations, health, safety, climate and env ...

, launched an industry-wide lockout in an attempt to reverse the gains made by the AEU during WWI and its aftermath. Exploiting the downturn in economic conditions in the engineering industry, they demanded the union forfeit control over overtime. The lockout lasted from 11 March to 13 June and involved 260,000 workers, 90,000 of them represented by the AEU. The lockout ended with the union conceding some of the employers' demands. The AEU continued to grow and absorb smaller unions. From 1926, it accepted members who had not completed an apprenticeship. In 1933, it had 168,000 members, and 390,900 by the end of the decade. Its largest membership growth came during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

when its all-male membership voted to admit women for the first time and 100,000 joined almost immediately, membership reaching 825,000 by 1943. It admitted women due to the increasing role of female industrial workers in the British home front, as well as to prevent either female workers joining rival unions or non-union female workers from undercutting union wages. However, the AEU also lost its overseas branches in Australia,

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

, and

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

, which became independent unions. From the 1940s, the AEU also absorbed various smaller unions: the Amalgamated Society of Glass Works Engineers, Amalgamated Society of Vehicle Builders, Carpenters and Mechanics, Amalgamated Machine, Engine and Iron Grinders' and Glaziers' Society, Leeds Spindle and Flyer Makers' Trade and Friendly Society, United Operative Spindle and Flyer Makers' Trade and Friendly Society, and the Turners', Fitters' and Instrument Makers' Union. The AEU merged with the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers (AUFW) on 1 January 1968 to form the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers (AEF), and with the

Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians' Association The Technical, Administrative and Supervisory Section (TASS) was a British trade union. History The union was founded in 1913 by 200 draughtsmen, as the Association of Engineering and Shipbuilding Draughtsmen (AESD). It expanded rapidly, and ...

(DATA) and

Constructional Engineering Union The Constructional Engineering Union (CEU) was a trade union representing steel erectors and other workers involved in steel construction in the United Kingdom. History The union was founded in 1924 as a section of the Iron and Steel Trades C ...

in 1971 to form the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (AUEW). The union was now organised on a federal basis, with four sections: Engineering, Foundry, Construction, and Technical, Administrative and Supervisory (TASS). This approach was not a success, as the various sections fell into dispute with each other. In 1984, the Engineering, Foundry and Construction Sections were merged and in 1986 adopted the name Amalgamated Engineering Union once more, while the TASS remained separate and, in 1988, it became entirely independent of the union once more.Chris Cook, ''The Routledge Guide to British Political Archives: Sources since 1945'', pp.223-224 Despite this series of amalgamations, declines in the number of workers in heavy industry saw membership drop from a peak of 1,483,400 in 1979, to 858,000 in 1986. The AEU became a mainstay of the moderate right in the trade union movement through the 1980s and 1990s, leading the manufacturing unions in 1989–1991 in a successful push for a shorter working week, but failing to merge with a number of unions, notally 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 ...

. In 1992 the AEU finally achieved a merger with the

, EETPU, after a hundred years of off and on discussions. The new union took the name Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union.

Elections results

Like the ASE before it, the AEU affiliated to the Labour Party, sponsoring candidates at each election, many of whom won seats in Parliament.

Leadership

General Secretaries

;AEU :1921:

Albert Smethurst Albert Harry Smethurst (19 August 1868 – 11 November 1935) was a British trade unionist. Born in Oldham, Smethurst completed an apprenticeship as an engineer and became active in the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE), soon becomin ...

:1933: Fred A. Smith :1943:

Benjamin Gardner Benjamin Gardner (24 October 1896 – 6 April 1956) was a British trade unionist. Born in Salford, Gardner worked making scientific instruments and became active in the Scientific Instrument Makers' Trade Society. He served with the Royal ...

:1956: Cecil Hallett :1965: Jim Conway ;AEF/AUEW ;AEU :1988:

Gavin Laird Sir Gavin Harry Laird (14 March 1933 – 26 October 2017) was a Scottish trade unionist, who became General Secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) and a Member of the Court of the Bank of England. Growing up in Cl ...

Presidents

:1920: James Thomas Brownlie :1931: William Harold Hutchinson :1933:

John C. Little John Carruthers Little (9 September 1874 – 13 September 1957) was a British people, British trade unionist. Born in Penton, Cumbria, Penton in Cumberland, Little became an engineer and joined the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (UK), Amal ...

:1939: Jack Tanner :1953: Robert Openshaw :1956:

William Carron William John Carron, Baron Carron, KSG, FRSA (19 November 1902 – 3 December 1969) was a British trade unionist and activist, who served as President of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) from 1956 until 1967. Early life Carron was born ...

:1968: Hugh Scanlon :1978: Terry Duffy :1986: Bill Jordan

References

External links

Catalogue of the AEU, AEF, and AUEW archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
Catalogue of further AUEW archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
Catalogue of the AUEW Construction Section archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick
Catalogue of the AEF/AUEW Foundry Section archives
held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick {{Portal, Organized labour Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Engineering trade unions 1920 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1920 Trade unions disestablished in 1992 Trade unions based in London