Amalgamated Engineering Union
The Amalgamated Engineering Union 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 the union can be traced back to the formation of the Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society, 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.In 1920, the ASE put out a fresh call for other unions to merge with it in a renamed Amalgamated Engineering Union. 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
- Amalgamated Society of General Tool Makers, Engineers and Machinists
- 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
- United Kingdom Society of Amalgamated Smiths and Strikers
- United Machine Workers' Association
, a Scottish trade union activist and communist, addressing a rally at Radford Road, Coventry, during the 1922 Engineers' Lockout.
In 1922 employers, represented by the Engineering Employers' Federation, 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 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. However, the AEU also lost its overseas branches in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, which became independent unions.
The AEU merged with the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers on 1 January 1968 to form the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers, and with the Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians' Association and Constructional Engineering Union in 1971 to form the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers. The union was now organised on a federal basis, with four sections: Engineering, Foundry, Construction, and Technical, Administrative and Supervisory. 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.
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 building workers union UCATT.
In 1992 the AEU finally achieved a merger with the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union, 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.Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position |
1922 general election | Aberdeen North | 10,958 | 55.7 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Ashton-under-Lyne | 8,834 | 42.4 | 2 | |
1922 general election | Basingstoke | 3,035 | 13.6 | 3 | |
1922 general election | Camborne | 4,502 | 21.9 | 3 | |
1922 general election | Dumbarton Burghs | 16,397 | 64.5 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Edmonton | 8,407 | 45.1 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Gateshead | 18,795 | 43.8 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Newcastle upon Tyne West | 11,654 | 43.9 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Newton | 12,312 | 55.6 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Plymouth Drake | 8,359 | 31.4 | 2 | |
1922 general election | Rochdale | 15,774 | 38.8 | 1 | |
1922 general election | Stalybridge and Hyde | 7,578 | 21.6 | 3 | |
1922 general election | The Wrekin | 10,603 | 47.6 | 2 | |
1922 general election | Woolwich West | 9,550 | 39.8 | 2 | |
1922 general election | Yeovil | 9,581 | 38.3 | 2 | |
1923 general election | Aberdeen North | 9,138 | 50.6 | 1 | |
1923 general election | Edmonton | 10,735 | 64.4 | 1 | |
1923 general election | Gateshead | 16,689 | 41.1 | 2 | |
1923 general election | Newcastle upon Tyne West | 11,527 | 43.2 | 2 | |
1923 general election | Newton | 12,492 | 59.9 | 1 | |
1923 general election | Rochdale | 13,525 | 32.6 | 2 | |
1924 general election | Dumbarton Burghs | 14,562 | 59.2 | 1 | |
1924 general election | Edmonton | 11,614 | 53.1 | 1 | |
1924 general election | Newton | 12,875 | 56.1 | 1 | |
1929 general election | Dartford | 26,871 | 50.6 | 1 | |
1929 general election | Dumbarton Burghs | 19,193 | 63.1 | 1 | |
1929 general election | Edmonton | 17,555 | 59.3 | 1 | |
1929 general election | Newton | 18,176 | 60.5 | 1 | |
1931 by-election | Sunderland | 30,074 | 39.8 | 2 | |
1931 general election | Barrow | 15,835 | 43.2 | 2 | |
1935 general election | Consett | 25,419 | 58.7 | 1 | |
1935 general election | Dumbarton Burghs | 20,409 | 65.2 | 1 | |
1935 general election | Newton | 19,992 | 58.5 | 1 | |
1945 general election | Aberdeen South | 17,398 | 42.3 | 2 | |
1945 general election | Dumbarton Burghs | 16,262 | 65.2 | 1 | |
1945 general election | Manchester Hulme | 12,034 | 55.6 | 1 | |
1945 general election | Newton | 25,197 | 62.0 | 1 | |
1948 by-election | Edmonton | 26,164 | 53.4 | 1 | |
1949 by-election | Leeds West | 21,935 | 55.2 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Bury and Radcliffe | 25,705 | 44.4 | 2 | |
1950 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 25,943 | 52.7 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Edmonton | 34,897 | 55.1 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Hayes and Harlington | 22,490 | 60.1 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Keighley | 21,833 | 48.5 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Leeds West | 21,339 | 51.6 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Newcastle upon Tyne North | 16,860 | 35.9 | 2 | |
1950 general election | Newton | 31,832 | 59.1 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Rochdale | 25,484 | 44.9 | 1 | |
1950 general election | Southall | 27,107 | 53.9 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Cirencester and Tewkesbury | 18,353 | 40.5 | 2 | |
1951 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 26,678 | 51.2 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Edmonton | 36,023 | 58.4 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Esher | 15,334 | 28.6 | 2 | |
1951 general election | Glasgow Scotstoun | 20,872 | 49.3 | 2 | |
1951 general election | Hayes and Harlington | 23,823 | 64.8 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Keighley | 23,743 | 52.8 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Leeds West | 22,357 | 54.1 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Newton | 31,374 | 58.3 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Rochdale | 27,343 | 49.6 | 2 | |
1951 general election | Southall | 29,123 | 57.9 | 1 | |
1951 general election | Southend West | 17,352 | 30.9 | 2 | |
1951 general election | Stockport North | 20,893 | 44.9 | 2 | |
1955 general election | Barry | 19,722 | 42.1 | 2 | |
1955 general election | Bridgwater | 17,170 | 40.8 | 2 | |
1955 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 24,216 | 48.7 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Edmonton | 30,232 | 56.6 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Glasgow Woodside | 15,543 | 43.9 | 2 | |
1955 general election | High Peak | 13,652 | 34.6 | 2 | |
1955 general election | Keighley | 19,414 | 46.5 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Leeds West | 24,576 | 52.8 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Newton | 29,299 | 57.9 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Rochdale | 24,928 | 48.5 | 2 | |
1955 general election | Southall | 25,207 | 57.2 | 1 | |
1955 general election | Stockport South | 16,612 | 44.5 | 2 | |
1958 by-election | Rochdale | 22,133 | 44.7 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Burnley | 27,675 | 57.0 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Doncaster | 22,935 | 46.4 | 2 | |
1959 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 27,942 | 51.1 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Edmonton | 25,598 | 50.5 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Glasgow Scotstoun | 24,690 | 53.7 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Glasgow Woodside | 14,483 | 43.1 | 2 | |
1959 general election | High Peak | 13,827 | 34.0 | 2 | |
1959 general election | Keighley | 20,456 | 49.8 | 2 | |
1959 general election | Leeds West | 25,878 | 54.9 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Newton | 31,041 | 57.4 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Oxford | 18,310 | 34.8 | 2 | |
1959 general election | Rochdale | 21,689 | 41.5 | 1 | |
1959 general election | Southall | 22,285 | 52.7 | 1 | |
1959 general election | South Northamptonshire | 18,292 | 43.0 | 2 | |
1959 general election | Stockport South | 17,982 | 46.7 | 2 | |
1963 by-election | Swansea East | 18,909 | 61.1 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Bradford North | 17,905 | 43.6 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Bristol North West | 21,030 | 42.9 | 2 | |
1964 general election | Burnley | 25,244 | 56.8 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Doncaster | 23,845 | 49.9 | 1 | |
1964 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 32,948 | 55.6 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Edmonton | 24,373 | 49.2 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Gateshead East | 26,633 | 64.5 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Glasgow Scotstoun | 27,036 | 61.6 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Keighley | 17,816 | 43.0 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Leeds West | 22,968 | 50.5 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Newton | 32,932 | 56.0 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Paisley | 26,318 | 52.9 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Rochdale | 22,927 | 46.7 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Salford West | 20,490 | 55.5 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Southall | 18,041 | 48.0 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Swansea East | 30,904 | 73.0 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Tottenham | 19,458 | 54.7 | 1 | |
1964 general election | Truro | 14,224 | 31.5 | 2 | |
1964 general election | Wallsend | 39,841 | 60.4 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Bradford North | 21,727 | 55.4 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Burnley | 25,583 | 60.4 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Consett | 29,753 | 73.3 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Doncaster | 25,777 | 56.7 | 1 | |
1966 general election | East Dunbartonshire | 32,988 | 52.2 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Edmonton | 26,422 | 58.6 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Gateshead East | 27,628 | 69.6 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Glasgow Scotstoun | 27,320 | 61.8 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Keighley | 22,039 | 55.0 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Leeds West | 24,391 | 56.3 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Newton | 36,901 | 62.8 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Paisley | 28,074 | 60.0 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Rochdale | 24,481 | 52.4 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Salford West | 19,237 | 59.2 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Swansea East | 30,290 | 75.4 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Tottenham | 17,367 | 65.3 | 1 | |
1966 general election | Wallsend | 39,744 | 65.2 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Aberdeen North | 27,707 | 62.1 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Bradford North | 20,141 | 52.1 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Burnley | 24,200 | 57.0 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Consett | 28,985 | 70.9 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Doncaster | 22,658 | 50.7 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Edmonton | 20,626 | 49.1 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Gateshead East | 28,524 | 64.8 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Glasgow Scotstoun | 26,492 | 57.4 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Keighley | 20,341 | 49.3 | 2 | |
1970 general election | Leeds West | 21,618 | 51.8 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Louth | 16,403 | 33.9 | 2 | |
1970 general election | Merthyr Tydfil | 9,234 | 28.7 | 2 | |
1970 general election | Newton | 34,873 | 52.5 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Paisley | 25,429 | 54.1 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Rochdale | 19,247 | 41.6 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Salford West | 16,986 | 54.3 | 1 | |
1970 general election | South Northamptonshire | 21,131 | 37.2 | 2 | |
1970 general election | South West Norfolk | 16,572 | 42.7 | 2 | |
1970 general election | Swansea East | 28,183 | 68.5 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Tottenham | 17,367 | 61.3 | 1 | |
1970 general election | Wallsend | 39,065 | 61.3 | 1 | |
1973 by-election | Dundee East | 14,411 | 32.7 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Aberdeen North | 23,193 | 47.7 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Bradford North | 22,381 | 43.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Bridgwater | 16,786 | 29.5 | 2 | |
1974 Feb general election | Burnley | 21,108 | 50.4 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Carlton | 20,147 | 33.5 | 2 | |
1974 Feb general election | Chorley | 25,440 | 40.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Consett | 27,401 | 61.1 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Coventry North East | 30,496 | 63.9 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Doncaster | 23,041 | 47.9 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Dundee East | 17,100 | 33.7 | 2 | |
1974 Feb general election | Gateshead East | 27,269 | 55.2 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Glasgow Garscadden | 21,035 | 52.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Gloucester | 18,215 | 35.2 | 2 | |
1974 Feb general election | Leeds West | 19,436 | 42.1 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Newton | 38,369 | 49.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Paisley | 23,820 | 48.4 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | St Pancras North | 14,761 | 52.8 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Salford West | 16,808 | 51.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Swansea East | 28,537 | 66.3 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Tottenham | 16,999 | 54.8 | 1 | |
1974 Feb general election | Wallsend | 41,811 | 62.0 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Aberdeen North | 23,130 | 50.9 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Bradford North | 22,841 | 49.1 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Burnley | 21,642 | 54.8 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Chorley | 27,290 | 44.1 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Consett | 27,123 | 67.0 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Coventry North East | 26,489 | 59.5 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Doncaster | 22,177 | 51.3 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Dundee East | 15,137 | 32.7 | 2 | |
1974 Oct general election | Gateshead East | 27,620 | 61.9 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Glasgow Garscadden | 19,737 | 50.9 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Leeds West | 20,669 | 49.6 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Newton | 38,956 | 53.3 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Paisley | 21,368 | 44.8 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Rochdale | 17,339 | 36.8 | 2 | |
1974 Oct general election | St Pancras North | 14,155 | 58.5 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Salford West | 17,112 | 57.2 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Tottenham | 15,708 | 58.8 | 1 | |
1974 Oct general election | Wallsend | 37,180 | 58.1 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Aberdeen North | 26,771 | 59.3 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Bradford North | 25,069 | 50.9 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Burnley | 20,172 | 50.8 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Chorley | 28,546 | 43.0 | 2 | |
1979 general election | Consett | 26,708 | 61.3 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Coventry North East | 27,010 | 57.3 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Doncaster | 22,184 | 48.9 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Gateshead East | 28,776 | 61.2 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 14,688 | 51.6 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Kilmarnock | 25,718 | 52.6 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Leeds West | 21,290 | 49.4 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Manchester Blackley | 20,346 | 50.4 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Newton | 41,466 | 51.4 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Rochdale | 16,878 | 34.3 | 2 | |
1979 general election | St Pancras North | 14,556 | 54.2 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Salford West | 18,411 | 61.5 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Tottenham | 16,299 | 56.9 | 1 | |
1979 general election | Wallsend | 38,214 | 55.1 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Aberdeen North | 19,262 | 47.0 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Coventry North East | 22,190 | 47.8 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Doncaster Central | 21,154 | 42.0 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Edinburgh Leith | 16,177 | 39.7 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Gateshead East | 22,981 | 48.3 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Hackney North and Stoke Newington | 18,989 | 52.0 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 20,250 | 43.6 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Leeds West | 15,860 | 34.0 | 2 | |
1983 general election | Manchester Blackley | 20,132 | 48.1 | 1 | |
1983 general election | St Helens North | 25,334 | 47.9 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Salford East | 21,373 | 53.7 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Tottenham | 22,423 | 52.0 | 1 | |
1983 general election | Wallsend | 26,615 | 50.1 | 1 | |
1985 by-election | Tyne Bridge | 13,517 | 57.8 | 1 | |
1986 by-election | Knowsley North | 17,403 | 56.3 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Aberdeen North | 24,145 | 54.7 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Bury North | 21,186 | 37.8 | 2 | |
1987 general election | Caithness and Sutherland | 3,437 | 14.9 | 3 | |
1987 general election | Doncaster Central | 26,266 | 51.2 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Edinburgh Leith | 21,104 | 49.3 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Feltham and Heston | 22,325 | 37.4 | 2 | |
1987 general election | Glasgow Pollok | 23,239 | 63.1 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 23,713 | 48.5 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Knowsley North | 27,454 | 69.9 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Manchester Blackley | 22,476 | 52.4 | 1 | |
1987 general election | St Helens North | 28,989 | 53.7 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Salford East | 22,555 | 58.8 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Sheffield Central | 25,872 | 67.7 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Sheffield Heeley | 28,425 | 53.4 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Tyne Bridge | 23,131 | 63.0 | 1 | |
1987 general election | Wallsend | 32,709 | 56.8 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Aberdeen North | 18,845 | 47.0 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Bolton North East | 21,459 | 44.5 | 2 | |
1992 general election | Doncaster Central | 27,795 | 54.3 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Glasgow Pollok | 14,170 | 43.4 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Kilmarnock and Loudoun | 22,210 | 44.8 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Knowsley North | 27,517 | 77.5 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Manchester Blackley | 23,031 | 60.2 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Rotherham | 27,933 | 63.9 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Salford East | 20,327 | 60.0 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Sheffield Central | 22,764 | 68.7 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Sheffield Heeley | 28,005 | 55.7 | 1 | |
1992 general election | St Helens North | 31,930 | 57.9 | 1 | |
1992 general election | Tyne Bridge | 22,328 | 67.2 | 1 |
Leadership
General Secretaries
;AEU;AEF/AUEW
;AEU