The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers was a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 trades union representing carpenter

Carpenter

A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....

s, joiner

Joiner

A joiner differs from a carpenter in that joiners cut and fit joints in wood that do not use nails. Joiners usually work in a workshop since the formation of various joints generally requires non-portable machinery. A carpenter normally works on site...

s and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions. It was itself merged into the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians is a British and Irish trade union which represents, as of December 2009, 127,433 workers in construction and allied trades, an increase of nearly 17,000 since 2003....

 in 1971.

Predecessor unions

The 1921 merger united two rival unions: the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners

Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners

The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners was a New Model Trade Union in the 1860s in the United Kingdom, representing carpenters and joiners....

and the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners.

Amalgamation

On July 1, 1970, the ASW was merged with Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators and the Association of Building Technicians to form the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers and Painters. One year later the new union was itself merged with Amalgamated Union of Building Trade Workers to become the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers Painters and Builders. at the end of 1971 the ASWPB was renamed as the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians.

General Secretaries

1921: Alexander Gordon Cameron

Alexander Gordon Cameron

Alexander Gordon Cameron was a British trades unionist and Labour Party politician.Cameron was born in Oban, Argyll, and served his apprenticeship as a joiner in Glasgow...

1926: Frank Wolstencroft

1948: Jack McDermott

1959: George Smith

George Smith (trade unionist)

George Smith was a British trade unionist.Born near Dundee, Smith worked as a carpenter and became active in the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers. He also joined the Communist Party of Great Britain. He was elected general secretary of the Woodworkers in 1959, and left the Communist Party soon...