Amalgamated Society Of Engineers
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The Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) was a major British
trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...
, 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 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".Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, ''Historical Directory of British Trade Unions'', vol.3, pp.12-16 Its secretary, William Allan, and another leading figure in the union, William Newton, proposed forming a new union to bring together skilled workers from all engineering trades.Newton, William
, ''
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...
''
They invited a large number of other unions to become part a new Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Machinists, Smiths, Millwrights and Pattern-makers, which was soon shorted to the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE). Other than the Old Mechanics, the only notable union to join was the Smiths Benevolent, Sick and Burial Society. Together with various small, local unions, they brought 5,000 members into the ASE on its creation in 1851, Allan becoming its first general secretary. The ASE was one of the ' New Model Unions' of the 1850s–1870s. These unions, which also included the Ironfounders, Builders, and Carpenters' societies, rejected
Chartism Chartism was a working-class movement for political reform in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom that erupted from 1838 to 1857 and was strongest in 1839, 1842 and 1848. It took its name from the People's Charter of ...
and the ideas of
Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist, political philosopher and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement, co-operative movement. He strove to ...
in favour of a more moderate policy based on 'prudence', 'respectability' and steady growth. Great importance was attached to the question of finance, as substantial funds would not only provide maintenance for members involved in strike action, but also help to deter the employers from attacking the organisation. Since its members were skilled and relatively highly paid, it was possible for the ASE to charge contributions of one
shilling The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currency, currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 1 ...
a week and to build up a fund of unprecedented proportions. Initially, there were strict restrictions on membership; all must have completed an
apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...
in their trade, and men who wore glasses were not permitted to join. The ASE was an immediate success, and within a year, membership had more than doubled to 11,000. However, in 1852, it agreed a ban on
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
and
piecework Piece work or piecework is any type of employment in which a worker is paid a fixed piece rate for each unit produced or action performed, regardless of time. Context When paying a worker, employers can use various methods and combinations of m ...
. In retaliation, employers began an extended national lockouts, which greatly weakened the organisation, an event repeated in 1896. But it maintained its pre-eminent position in the industry, and many local and regional unions joined. The union was invited to join the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades (FEST) when it was formed in 1891, but refused to do so. It also had a turbulent relationship with the
Trades Union Congress The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union center, national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions that collectively represent most unionised workers in England and Wales. There are 48 affiliated unions with a total of ...
(TUC), not holding membership in 1905 or from 1907 to 1918. However, it was a founder member of the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). It finally joined the FEST in 1905, hoping to persuade its other members to amalgamate with it. Six small unions did so, but the other refused, and the ASE again left the FEST in 1918. The ASE set up overseas branches in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. In 1891, they had only 5,000 members between them, but by 1920 they had grown to 32,000 members. The union set up an Australasian Council, and in 1906 a South African Council, and the branches in those countries thereafter had a considerable degree of autonomy. They had their own full-time secretaries and organisers, and became the leading unions for engineers in those countries. However, in North America, the union failed to grow. American Organiser Isaac Cowen prioritised strong links with the union in Britain, and the union there came to largely consist of British members who were temporarily working overseas. Many of them left in 1905 to join the
Industrial Workers of the World The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), whose members are nicknamed "Wobblies", is an international labor union founded in Chicago, United States in 1905. The nickname's origin is uncertain. Its ideology combines general unionism with indu ...
, and the ASE decided in 1920 to transfer the remaining branches to the
International Association of Machinists The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is an AFL–CIO/ CLC trade union representing over 600,000 workers as of 2024 in more than 200 industries with most of its membership in the United States and Canada. Origi ...
. In 1920, the ASE put out a fresh call for other unions to merge with it. Seventeen unions balloted their members on a possible merger, and nine voted in favour of amalgamation. Together, they formed 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 ...
.


Election results

The ASE was an early affiliate of the Labour Party. It sponsored candidates in each election from 1906 on, with several of its candidates winning election.
Frank Bealey Frank William Bealey (31 August 1922 – 18 January 2013) was a British political scientist who was a pioneering founder of the academic study of politics and was a campaigner for democracy in Eastern Europe. Life Born in Bilston, Bealey was edu ...
and Henry Pelling, ''Labour and Politics, 1900-1906''


Leadership


General Secretaries

:1851: William Allan :1875: John Burnett :1886: Robert Austin :1891:
John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * John Anderson (jazz trumpeter) (1921–1974), American musician * Jon Anderson (John Roy Anderson, born 1944), lead singer of the British band Yes * John Anderson (producer) (1948–2024 ...
:1896:
George Nicoll Barnes George Nicoll Barnes (2 January 1859 – 21 April 1940) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician and a Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party (1910–1911). Early life Barnes was born on 2 January 1859 in ...
:1909: Jenkin Jones :1912: Robert Young :1919:
Tom Mann Thomas Mann (15 April 1856 – 13 March 1941) was an English trade unionist and activist. Largely self-educated, Mann became a successful organiser and a popular public speaker in the British labour movement. Early years Mann was born on 15 ...


Chairmen

:1893: Alfred Sellicks :1903: Alfred Golightly :1903: David Gardner :1910: Albert Taylor :1913: James Thomas Brownlie


See also

* Embargo strike


References


External links


Catalogue of the ASE 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 collect ...
{{Authority control Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom Engineering trade unions 1851 establishments in the United Kingdom Trade unions established in 1851 Trade unions disestablished in 1920 Trade unions based in London