Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners
Encyclopedia
The Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners (ASCJ) was a New Model Trade Union in the 1860s in the United Kingdom
, representing carpenter
s and joiner
s.
The formation of the Society was spurred by the Stonemason's strike, 1859, which succeeded in winning a nine-hour day. In 1860, a number of small societies formed the Amalgamated. Robert Applegarth
was the general secretary from 1862 to 1871.
The union also established branches in the United States
and in Australia
. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
took over its U.S. branches in 1913, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners took over its Australian branches in 1917.
By 1892, the union had 37,588 members, and by 1900 it had 65,000. In 1911, it merged with the Associated Carpenters and Joiners of Scotland, while in 1918 the Amalgamated Union of Cabinetmakers joined the union, which renamed itself as the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners. In 1921, the union merged with the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners, forming the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
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...
, 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 and 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.
The formation of the Society was spurred by the Stonemason's strike, 1859, which succeeded in winning a nine-hour day. In 1860, a number of small societies formed the Amalgamated. Robert Applegarth
Robert Applegarth
Robert Applegarth was a prominent British trade unionist and proponent of working class causes.-Biography:Robert Applegarth was born in Hull in the United Kingdom. His father was the captain of a whaling brig. He spent a brief period in a dame school but had no other formal education and began...
was the general secretary from 1862 to 1871.
The union also established branches in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America is one of the largest building trades union in the United States. One of the unions that formed the American Federation of Labor in 1886, it left the AFL-CIO in 2001.-Early years:...
took over its U.S. branches in 1913, and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners took over its Australian branches in 1917.
By 1892, the union had 37,588 members, and by 1900 it had 65,000. In 1911, it merged with the Associated Carpenters and Joiners of Scotland, while in 1918 the Amalgamated Union of Cabinetmakers joined the union, which renamed itself as the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, Cabinetmakers and Joiners. In 1921, the union merged with the General Union of Carpenters and Joiners, forming the Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers
The Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers was a British trades union representing carpenters, joiners and allied trades. The ASW was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of two smaller unions...
General Secretaries
- 1860: J. Lea
- 1862: Robert ApplegarthRobert ApplegarthRobert Applegarth was a prominent British trade unionist and proponent of working class causes.-Biography:Robert Applegarth was born in Hull in the United Kingdom. His father was the captain of a whaling brig. He spent a brief period in a dame school but had no other formal education and began...
- 1871: John D. Prior
- 1881: James S. Murchie
- 1888: Francis Chandler
- 1919: Alexander Gordon CameronAlexander Gordon CameronAlexander 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...