Post Office Engineering Union

For the union in Ireland, see Irish Post Office Engineering Union.

POEU
Post Office Engineering Union
Merged intoNational Communications Union
Founded1915
Dissolved1985
HeadquartersGreystoke House, Brunswick Road, London
Location
Members130,000 (1983)
Publication
POEU Journal
AffiliationsTUC, PTTI

The Post Office Engineering Union (POEU) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It represented engineering staff in the Post Office, mostly working in telecommunications.[1]

History

The union was founded in 1915 when the Post Office Engineering and Stores Association and the Amalgamated Society of Telephone Employees merged, to form the Post Office Amalgamated Engineering and Stores Association.[2] In 1922, following the establishment of the Irish Free State, the union's Irish section split away to form the Irish Post Office Engineering Union.[3] In 1925, the Post Office Telegraph Mechanicians' Society joined the union.[4] However, by 1939, membership was only 39,000.[1]

By 1983, the POEU was the twentieth largest union in the UK, with membership around 130,000.[1] In 1985, it merged with the Postal and Telecommunications Group of the Civil and Public Services Association, forming the National Communications Union.[4]

Election results

The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in each Parliamentary election from 1966 onwards.

Election Constituency Candidate Votes Percentage Position
1966 general election Isle of Ely Graham Nurse 19,566 43.8 2[5]
1969 by-election Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 21,786 46.1 1
1970 general election Colchester John Bartlett 20,325 35.0 2[6]
Mitcham Reginald Vincent 22,047 44.2 2[6]
Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 22,329 48.9 1[6]
1973 by-election Westhoughton Roger Stott 26,294 57.0 1
Feb 1974 general election Edinburgh Pentlands John McWilliam 13,560 30.8 2[7]
Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 28,603 47.2 1[7]
Westhoughton Roger Stott 30,574 51.5 1[7]
Oct 1974 general election Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 28,154 49.6 1[8]
Westhoughton Roger Stott 30,373 54.1 1[8]
1979 general election Bexleyheath Richard Blackwell 13,342 32.7 2[7]
Blaydon John McWilliam 24,687 53.4 1[7]
Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 28,649 48.5 1[7]
Westhoughton Roger Stott 29,685 48.2 1[7]
1983 general election Blaydon John McWilliam 21,285 44.4 1
Newcastle-under-Lyme John Golding 21,210 42.0 1
Wigan Roger Stott 29,859 54.6 1

Leadership

General Secretaries

1915: Charles Howard Smith
1938: John Edwards
1947: Douglas Coward
1953: Charles Delacourt-Smith
1972: Bryan Stanley

Presidents

1915: E. W. Bennett
1921: H. A. Barclay
1924: E. W. Goodwin
1926: H. G. Hill
1933: C. T. Saunders
1934: E. W. Goodwin
1935: C. J. Connelly
1936: A. V. Games
1939: Ernie Power
1951: W. J. A. Hughes
1952: L. G. Fox
1955: W. J. Jones
1956: Stan Rosser
1970: John Scott-Garner

References

  1. ^ a b c Clark, Jon; McLoughlin, Ian; Rose, Howard; King, Robin (1988). Clark, Jon (ed.). The Process of Technological Change: New technology and social choice in the workplace. Cambridge Studies in Management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-521-38698-5. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
  2. ^ London Metropolitan University (London North campus): Post Office Engineering Union, AIM25.
  3. ^ John P. Smethurst and Peter Carter, Historical Directory of Trade Unions, p. 456.
  4. ^ a b Post Office Engineering Union Research Department 1887-1994
  5. ^ Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 158–180.
  6. ^ a b c Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 289–312.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Labour Party, Report of the Seventy-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 371–390.
  8. ^ a b Labour Party, Report of the Seventy-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 391–411.