The confederation was founded in December 1890 as the
Federation of Engineering and Shipbuilding Trades by small
craft unions, on the initiative of
Robert Knight of the
United Society of Boilermakers and Iron and Steel Shipbuilders, primarily in response to the formation of a National Federation of Shipbuilders and Engineers by employers. By 1895, sixteen unions were affiliated, with a total membership of 150,000. However, the prominent
Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) refused to join. The ASE finally joined in 1905 but, failing to persuade the other members to unite with it in a single
industrial union, withdrew again in 1914. Meanwhile, unions representing unskilled workers were initially excluded; the
National Amalgamated Union of Labour was finally admitted in 1908, and the
National Union of Gasworkers and General Labourers in 1910, and only after they had given assurances that they would permit the craft unions to retain a leading role in the organisation. Because it would not sign a similar agreement, the
Workers' Union was never admitted. In its early years, the Federation focussed on resolving demarcation disputes, The confederation adopted its current form and name in 1936. By 1977, the CSEU had 23 affiliates and 2.4 million members, with most workers organised in the relevant sections of the
Transport and General Workers Union,
General and Municipal Workers Union and
Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union. •
Amalgamated Society of Boilermakers, Shipwrights, Blacksmiths and Structural Workers •
Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (all four sections held separate memberships) •
Associated Metalworkers' Union •
Association of Patternmakers and Allied Craftsmen •
Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computer Staff •
Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs •
Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union •
Furniture, Timber and Allied Trades Union •
General and Municipal Workers' Union •
National Society of Metal Mechanics •
National Union of Domestic Appliance and General Metal Workers •
National Union of Scalemakers •
National Union of Sheet Metal Workers, Coppersmiths, Heating and Domestic Engineers •
Screw, Nut, Bolt and Rivet Trade Union •
Transport and General Workers' Union (Power & Engineering and Automotive Trade Groups) •
Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians In 1989, membership was still 22 affiliates and 2 million members but, by 2001, this had fallen to 1.2 million members, Since the merger of UCATT into Unite the number of member unions has fallen to four. ==Current members==