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Amalgamated Society of Engineers

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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
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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
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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
164:). 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. 141: 233:
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
218:(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. 588: 529: 335: 203:, 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. 152:, proposed forming a new union to bring together skilled workers from all engineering trades. They invited a large number of other unions to become part a new 963: 1509: 1519: 1071: 207: 184:
a week and to build up a fund of unprecedented proportions. Initially, there were strict restrictions on membership; all must have completed an
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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
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organisation. Since its members were skilled and relatively highly paid, it was possible for the ASE to charge contributions of one
1335: 1096: 830: 308: 227: 215: 1504: 753: 726: 171:' of the 1850s–1870s. These unions, which also included the Ironfounders, Builders, and Carpenters' societies, rejected 1534: 778: 19:
This article is about the British trade union. For the Australian branch of the AEU, which became an independent union, see
1197: 998: 936: 647: 1121: 990: 734: 909: 884: 672: 502: 475: 1514: 1129: 556: 838: 416: 971: 316: 223: 149: 1228: 1179: 1173: 1161: 145: 1191: 1167: 235: 39: 1025: 370: 250:. It sponsored candidates in each election from 1906 on, with several of its candidates winning election. 569: 429: 289: 210:(FEST) when it was formed in 1891, but refused to do so. It also had a turbulent relationship with the 786: 1052: 865: 214:(TUC), not holding membership in 1905 or from 1907 to 1918. However, it was a founder member of the 1265: 615: 276: 1257: 456: 1237: 680: 510: 211: 104: 1185: 944: 596: 537: 343: 8: 1468: 483: 397: 200: 1434: 247: 112: 154:
Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Machinists, Smiths, Millwrights and Pattern-makers
1222: 168: 1216: 917: 707: 185: 80: 1498: 1292:. Edinburgh: Reprints in Social and Economic History. p. 171–191. 1358: 628: 1330: 142:
Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society
176: 129: 226:, and the ASE decided in 1920 to transfer the remaining branches to the 1485: 196: 188:
in their trade, and men who wore glasses were not permitted to join.
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The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the
1203: 192: 181: 172: 144:, in 1826, popularly known as the "Old Mechanics". Its secretary, 66: 1251: 453: 677: 507: 199:. In retaliation, employers began an extended national 1076: 941: 810: 593: 534: 340: 889: 480: 394: 1247: 914: 835: 731: 704: 652: 566: 426: 313: 286: 208:Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades 1496: 1126: 1101: 783: 1049: 995: 862: 625: 25:Amalgamated Society of Engineers (South Africa) 1022: 968: 758: 367: 132:, representing factory workers and mechanics. 1462: 1460: 1490:Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick 1415: 1413: 1411: 1409: 1407: 1405: 1315:Historical Directory of British Trade Unions 21:Amalgamated Society of Engineers (Australia) 1403: 1401: 1399: 1397: 1395: 1393: 1391: 1389: 1387: 1385: 148:, and another leading figure in the union, 1510:Defunct trade unions of the United Kingdom 1457: 1283: 1281: 1520:1851 establishments in the United Kingdom 1382: 1372: 1370: 1354: 1352: 1350: 1348: 1346: 1344: 1325: 1323: 1287: 16:Former trade union of the United Kingdom 1336:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 1309: 1307: 1305: 1303: 1301: 1299: 1278: 228:International Association of Machinists 1497: 1154: 246:The ASE was an early affiliate of the 1422:Amalgamated Engineers Monthly Journal 1367: 1341: 1320: 589:Glasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown 530:Glasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown 336:Glasgow Blackfriars and Hutchesontown 1466:"Amalgamated Society of Engineers", 1450:Ed. Keith Gildart and David Howell, 1444: 1428: 1296: 23:. For the South African branch, see 1530:Trade unions disestablished in 1920 241: 13: 1377:The New Hazell Annual and Almanack 216:General Federation of Trade Unions 206:The union was invited to join the 14: 1546: 1479: 1439:Report of the Executive Committee 1525:Trade unions established in 1851 1313:Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, 1250: 158:Amalgamated Society of Engineers 156:, which was soon shorted to the 122:Amalgamated Society of Engineers 31:Amalgamated Society of Engineers 224:Industrial Workers of the World 1452:Dictionary of Labour Biography 1363:Labour and Politics, 1900-1906 557:1910 December general election 1: 1505:Amalgamated Engineering Union 1486:Catalogue of the ASE archives 1271: 1149: 417:1910 January general election 236:Amalgamated Engineering Union 40:Amalgamated Engineering Union 1535:Trade unions based in London 7: 1288:Jefferys, James B. (1970). 1243: 1209: 10: 1551: 1290:The Story of the Engineers 614: 135: 18: 555: 415: 275: 100: 90: 72: 61: 53: 45: 35: 1515:Engineering trade unions 964:Newcastle upon Tyne West 167:The ASE was one of the ' 1258:Organized labour portal 457:Joseph James Stephenson 128:) was a major British 1238:James Thomas Brownlie 681:James Thomas Brownlie 616:1918 general election 511:James Thomas Brownlie 277:1906 general election 212:Trades Union Congress 1420:"General Election". 1186:George Nicoll Barnes 1079:Richard Edward Jones 1072:Sheffield Brightside 945:Robert Arthur Taylor 813:John Thomas Sheppard 597:George Nicoll Barnes 538:George Nicoll Barnes 344:George Nicoll Barnes 1472:, 12 September 1916 1469:Manchester Guardian 1424:: 14. January 1919. 1361:and Henry Pelling, 1233:1910: Albert Taylor 1155:General Secretaries 32: 892:Richard Owen Jones 484:Frank Herbert Rose 398:Frank Herbert Rose 65:110 Peckham Road, 30: 1317:, vol.3, pp.12-16 1147: 1146: 562:Barrow-in-Furness 422:Barrow-in-Furness 282:Barrow-in-Furness 175:and the ideas of 118: 117: 1542: 1473: 1464: 1455: 1448: 1442: 1432: 1426: 1425: 1417: 1380: 1374: 1365: 1356: 1339: 1327: 1318: 1311: 1294: 1293: 1285: 1260: 1255: 1254: 1223:Alfred Golightly 1134: 1133: 1132: 1107: 1106: 1105: 1082: 1081: 1080: 1057: 1056: 1055: 1030: 1029: 1028: 1003: 1002: 1001: 976: 975: 974: 949: 948: 947: 922: 921: 920: 895: 894: 893: 870: 869: 868: 858:Leeds North East 843: 842: 841: 816: 815: 814: 791: 790: 789: 764: 763: 762: 739: 738: 737: 712: 711: 710: 700:Dumbarton Burghs 685: 684: 683: 658: 657: 656: 633: 632: 631: 601: 600: 599: 574: 573: 572: 542: 541: 540: 515: 514: 513: 488: 487: 486: 461: 460: 459: 434: 433: 432: 402: 401: 400: 390:Stockton-on-Tees 375: 374: 373: 348: 347: 346: 321: 320: 319: 294: 293: 292: 253: 252: 242:Election results 169:New Model Unions 83: 36:Merged into 33: 29: 1550: 1549: 1545: 1544: 1543: 1541: 1540: 1539: 1495: 1494: 1482: 1477: 1476: 1465: 1458: 1449: 1445: 1433: 1429: 1419: 1418: 1383: 1379:, vol.26, p.361 1375: 1368: 1357: 1342: 1331:Newton, William 1328: 1321: 1312: 1297: 1286: 1279: 1274: 1256: 1249: 1246: 1217:Alfred Sellicks 1212: 1157: 1152: 1128: 1127: 1103: 1102: 1078: 1077: 1051: 1050: 1024: 1023: 1018:Nottingham East 997: 996: 970: 969: 943: 942: 918:Stanley Burgess 916: 915: 891: 890: 864: 863: 839:William Glennie 837: 836: 812: 811: 785: 784: 760: 759: 735:John Brotherton 733: 732: 706: 705: 679: 678: 654: 653: 627: 626: 595: 594: 568: 567: 536: 535: 509: 508: 482: 481: 455: 454: 449:Birmingham East 428: 427: 396: 395: 369: 368: 342: 341: 315: 314: 288: 287: 244: 138: 93: 86: 79: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1548: 1538: 1537: 1532: 1527: 1522: 1517: 1512: 1507: 1493: 1492: 1488:, held at the 1481: 1480:External links 1478: 1475: 1474: 1456: 1454:, vol.13, p.55 1443: 1441:(1918), pp.115 1427: 1381: 1366: 1340: 1319: 1295: 1276: 1275: 1273: 1270: 1269: 1268: 1266:Embargo strike 1262: 1261: 1245: 1242: 1241: 1240: 1234: 1231: 1225: 1219: 1211: 1208: 1207: 1206: 1200: 1194: 1188: 1182: 1176: 1170: 1164: 1156: 1153: 1151: 1148: 1145: 1144: 1141: 1138: 1135: 1124: 1118: 1117: 1114: 1111: 1108: 1099: 1093: 1092: 1089: 1086: 1083: 1074: 1068: 1067: 1064: 1061: 1058: 1047: 1041: 1040: 1037: 1034: 1031: 1020: 1014: 1013: 1010: 1007: 1004: 993: 987: 986: 983: 980: 977: 966: 960: 959: 956: 953: 950: 939: 933: 932: 929: 926: 923: 912: 906: 905: 902: 899: 896: 887: 881: 880: 877: 874: 871: 860: 854: 853: 850: 847: 844: 833: 827: 826: 823: 820: 817: 808: 806:Islington West 802: 801: 798: 795: 792: 781: 775: 774: 771: 768: 765: 756: 750: 749: 746: 743: 740: 729: 723: 722: 719: 716: 713: 708:David Kirkwood 702: 696: 695: 692: 689: 686: 675: 669: 668: 665: 662: 659: 655:Dan W. Hubbard 650: 644: 643: 640: 637: 634: 623: 618: 612: 611: 608: 605: 602: 591: 585: 584: 581: 578: 575: 570:Charles Duncan 564: 559: 553: 552: 549: 546: 543: 532: 526: 525: 522: 519: 516: 505: 499: 498: 495: 492: 489: 478: 472: 471: 468: 465: 462: 451: 445: 444: 441: 438: 435: 430:Charles Duncan 424: 419: 413: 412: 409: 406: 403: 392: 386: 385: 382: 379: 376: 365: 359: 358: 355: 352: 349: 338: 332: 331: 328: 325: 322: 317:Isaac Mitchell 311: 305: 304: 301: 298: 295: 290:Charles Duncan 284: 279: 273: 272: 269: 266: 263: 260: 257: 243: 240: 186:apprenticeship 150:William Newton 137: 134: 116: 115: 102: 98: 97: 96:300,000 (1979) 94: 91: 88: 87: 85: 84: 81:United Kingdom 76: 74: 70: 69: 63: 59: 58: 55: 51: 50: 47: 43: 42: 37: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1547: 1536: 1533: 1531: 1528: 1526: 1523: 1521: 1518: 1516: 1513: 1511: 1508: 1506: 1503: 1502: 1500: 1491: 1487: 1484: 1483: 1471: 1470: 1463: 1461: 1453: 1447: 1440: 1436: 1431: 1423: 1416: 1414: 1412: 1410: 1408: 1406: 1404: 1402: 1400: 1398: 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848: 845: 840: 834: 832: 829: 828: 824: 821: 818: 809: 807: 804: 803: 799: 796: 793: 788: 787:George Oliver 782: 780: 777: 776: 772: 769: 766: 757: 755: 752: 751: 747: 744: 741: 736: 730: 728: 725: 724: 720: 717: 714: 709: 703: 701: 698: 697: 693: 690: 687: 682: 676: 674: 671: 670: 666: 663: 660: 651: 649: 646: 645: 641: 638: 635: 630: 624: 622: 621:Bristol North 619: 617: 613: 609: 606: 603: 598: 592: 590: 587: 586: 582: 579: 576: 571: 565: 563: 560: 558: 554: 550: 547: 544: 539: 533: 531: 528: 527: 523: 520: 517: 512: 506: 504: 501: 500: 496: 493: 490: 485: 479: 477: 474: 473: 469: 466: 463: 458: 452: 450: 447: 446: 442: 439: 436: 431: 425: 423: 420: 418: 414: 410: 407: 404: 399: 393: 391: 388: 387: 383: 380: 377: 372: 366: 364: 363:Great Grimsby 361: 360: 356: 353: 350: 345: 339: 337: 334: 333: 329: 326: 323: 318: 312: 310: 307: 306: 302: 299: 296: 291: 285: 283: 280: 278: 274: 270: 267: 264: 261: 258: 255: 254: 251: 249: 239: 237: 231: 229: 225: 219: 217: 213: 209: 204: 202: 198: 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Index

Amalgamated Society of Engineers (Australia)
Amalgamated Society of Engineers (South Africa)
Amalgamated Engineering Union
London
United Kingdom
TUC
IMF
Labour
trade union
Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society
William Allan
William Newton
New Model Unions
Chartism
Robert Owen
shilling
apprenticeship
overtime
piecework
lockouts
Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades
Trades Union Congress
General Federation of Trade Unions
Industrial Workers of the World
International Association of Machinists
Amalgamated Engineering Union
Labour Party
1906 general election
Barrow-in-Furness
Charles Duncan

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