Amalgamated Engineering Union. Swansea Branch

The Amalgamated Engineering Union was formed on 1 July 1920. It was the result of a long-term plan by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers to amalgamate all of the existing societies within the engineering industry into a single union. In 1918, the Amalgamated Society of Engineers held a conference where they invited 22 of these smaller unions to discuss the principle of amalgamation. 17 unions agreed to ballot their members on this issue but only 9 of these received the necessary percentage of votes to amalgamate. These were; the Steam Engine Makers Society; the UK Society of Amalgamated Smiths & Strikers; the United Machine Workers Association; the Amalgamated Association of Brass Founders, Turners, Fitters, Furnishers & Coppersmiths; the North of England Brass Turners, Fitters & Finishers Society; the London United Brass Metal Turners, Fitters and Furnishers Society; the East of Scotland Brass Founders Society; the Amalgamated Society of General Tool Makers, Engineers & Machinists and the Amalgamated Instrument Makers Society.

The Amalgamated Engineering Union affiliated to the Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions in 1947. In 1968, the Union changed its name to the Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers after the inclusion of the Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers. By 1970, the Union had amalgamated with the Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians Association and the Constructional Engineering Union. Subsequently the union became known as the Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers.

Source: A Marsh & V. Ryan, The Historical Directory of Trade Unions (Aldershot, 1984), Vol. 2., pp.12-3