Weekes, Brian C. M. (1970) The Amalgamated Society of Engineers, 1880-1914 : a study of trade union government, politics, and industrial policy. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

In 1880 the Amalgamated Society
of
Engineers
(ASE)
consisted of
largely autonomous
local trade
societies seeking unilaterally
to
regulate
the terns
and conditions under which engineering craftsmen were employed.
The Executive Council
(which
spent most of
its time
administering
the
system
of centralised
benefits)
consisted of part-time members
drawn from,
and
elected
by, the London
members.
In 1892 the first full-time Executive Council
was elected as part of a general reform of
the Society's
government;
the
reforms
did
not change
the A. S. E. 's
craft character rather
they
were
designed
to improve the
execution of
traditional
policies.

As the
climax of a
long
campaign
for the
eight-hour
day the Executive
Council
called a strike of
its London
members
in 1897. The
ensuing
dispute,
which
the Employers
extended to
all
districts, lasted thirty
weeks, and was
ended on
the terms laid down by the
recently
formed Engineering Employers'
Federation
(EEF).
Under the terms
of settlement
the A. S. E.
accepted a
procedure
for
avoiding
disputes
and
Management's
right to
prerogative over
matters Which previously
it had
claimed unilateral control.
The Society
disaffiliated from the T. U. C. because
of
the Parliamentary Committee's failure
to tobilize trade union support for the
engineers eight-hour struggle.
Affiliation
was made
to the General Federation
of
Trade Unions
(GFTU)
in the
false hope that this Federation
would augment
the A. S. E. 'a industrial
strength.
It is convenient to discuss the A. S. E. 's
reaction to the 1897-98
defeat and its consequences under
headings
which indicate the
main
themes.

Technical change
From the
mid-1880's something approaching a revolution occurred
in
machine
technology based
upon
improved high
speed steels.
The
establishment
of
the EEF
and
the sustained attack upon craft methods of production can
be
largely explained
by the
employers'
determination to fully
exploit
the
new
technology.

Government
Constitutional
authority within
the A. S. E.
was
divided between
the Executive Council,
a
lay Delegate Meeting,
and a
lay Final Appeal Court.
There
was no policy making
body. The Society
was governed according
to the
rule
book
which was unaffected
by the terms
under which
the 1697-98 dispute
was settled.
Consequently it
was
difficult for the Executive Council to
develop
collective
bargaining
and
to
restrain
district
committees,
from
acting
in breach of the agreement,
but
within
the
rules of
the Society. Both the
Delegate Meeting
and
the Final Appeal Court tended to defend local
as against
central
decision
making authority.
The Executive Council's
action
in 1903,
withdrawing
benefit from
members of
the Clyde
striking against a wages reduction,
led to
a serious weakening
in their
authority.
Three Executive Councilmen
were
defeated
when seeking re-election,
the Final Appeal Court
partially over-ruled
the Executive's benefit decision,
and
the 1904 Delegate Meeting limited the
Council's
right
to intervene in district
matters.
In 1912
after a complicated
dispute the Delegate Meeting dismissed the Executive Council from
office.
This
assertion of authority
by a rank and
file body
was not overtly influenced by
syndicalist ow
industrial
unionist
ideas.

Industrial Policy
The Executive Ceuneil intermittently
and uncertainly
tried to develep
collective
bargaining to
replace
lest
unilateral regulation while powerful
district
committees attempted
to
retain
their
previous methods of operation.
In 1902 the Executive
concluded
the Carlisle
agreement
for
controlling
the
introduction
of
the
premium
bonus. This
proved
to be
an unpopular agreement
and probably
discredited
collective
bargaining. The Executive
elected
in
1913, to
replace
the
one
dismissed by the 1912 Delegate Meeting,
after a
ballot
vote of members, ended
the Carlisle Agreement
and
the
general
agreement with
the EEF. Eventually the York
memorandum was approved
by the
members, which although
it incorporated
provisions which speeded up
the
procedure
for
avoiding disputes,
continued
those
aspects which
to
many
ASE
members, were
the humiliating terms
under which
the Society had been defeated.
After 1898
with
the Society formally
precluded
from
negotiations on management
matters an
informal
system of work place,
industrial
relations
began to
develop based
upon
district
committees and
the
widespread appointment of shop
stewards.

Polities
During these years the A. S. E. became involved in
politics
for the
first time. All ballets
on political questions were very small.
The A. S. E.
affiliated
to the Labour Party but
neither
the Independent Labour Party
(ILP)
nor
the Social Democratic Federation (SDF)
were active within the Society.
George Barnes
(General Secretary 1896-1908)
was an
influential
supporter of
the Socialist trade
union alliance upon which
the Labour Party
was established.
In 1914 the A. S. E.
members voted against raising a political
levy
under
the
1913 trade
union act.
From the turn
of
the
century most officials and active
members supported
the Labour Party
and
it
was sometimes argued
that the Society's
problems
(which
were
industrial)
could
be
solved
by
political action.
How,
was
never clear.
The developing sympathy among A. S. E. members for
a view of trade
union democracy which favoured
control exercised through district or workshop
organisation casts some light
on the development
of the shop stewards movement
during the War.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Amalgamated Society of Engineers, Labor unions -- Organizing -- Great Britain, Labor unions -- Political activity -- Great Britain, Industrial policy -- Great Britain, Engineers -- Great Britain, Collective bargaining -- Engineers -- Great Britain
Official Date:	September 1970
Dates:	Date Event September 1970 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of History
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Thompson, E. P. (Edward Palmer), 1924-1993 ; Clegg, Hugh Armstrong
Extent:	1 volume (various leaves)
Language:	eng

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