Post Office Engineering Union

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]

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
Members
130,000 (1983)
PublicationPOEU Journal
AffiliationsTUC, PTTI

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.

ElectionConstituencyCandidateVotesPercentagePosition
1966 general electionIsle of ElyGraham Nurse19,56643.82[5]
1969 by-electionNewcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding21,78646.11
1970 general electionColchesterJohn Bartlett20,32535.02[6]
MitchamReginald Vincent22,04744.22[6]
Newcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding22,32948.91[6]
1973 by-electionWesthoughtonRoger Stott26,29457.01
Feb 1974 general electionEdinburgh PentlandsJohn McWilliam13,56030.82[7]
Newcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding28,60347.21[7]
WesthoughtonRoger Stott30,57451.51[7]
Oct 1974 general electionNewcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding28,15449.61[8]
WesthoughtonRoger Stott30,37354.11[8]
1979 general electionBexleyheathRichard Blackwell13,34232.72[7]
BlaydonJohn McWilliam24,68753.41[7]
Newcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding28,64948.51[7]
WesthoughtonRoger Stott29,68548.21[7]
1983 general electionBlaydonJohn McWilliam21,28544.41
Newcastle-under-LymeJohn Golding21,21042.01
WiganRoger Stott29,85954.61

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. 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. 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. Labour Party, Report of the Sixty-Ninth Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 289–312.
  7. Labour Party, Report of the Seventy-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 371–390.
  8. Labour Party, Report of the Seventy-Third Annual Conference of the Labour Party, pp. 391–411.


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