The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the
Journeymen Steam Engine, Machine Makers' and Millwrights' Friendly Society, in 1826, popularly known as the "Old Mechanics". They invited a large number of other unions to become part of what became the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE). In 1920, the ASE put out a fresh call for other unions to merge with it in a renamed
Amalgamated Engineering Union (
AEU). Seventeen unions balloted their members on a possible merger, and nine voted in favour of amalgamation: about 300,000 coming from the ASE. , a Scottish trade union activist and communist, addressing a rally at Radford Road, Coventry, during the 1922 Engineers' Lockout. In 1922 employers, represented by the
Engineering Employers' Federation, launched an industry-wide
lockout in an attempt to reverse the gains made by the AEU during WWI and its aftermath. However, during World War II the AEU also lost its overseas branches in
Australia,
New Zealand, and
South Africa, which became independent unions. From the 1940s, the AEU also absorbed various smaller unions: the
Amalgamated Society of Glass Works Engineers,
Amalgamated Society of Vehicle Builders, Carpenters and Mechanics,
Amalgamated Machine, Engine and Iron Grinders' and Glaziers' Society, Leeds Spindle and Flyer Makers' Trade and Friendly Society,
United Operative Spindle and Flyer Makers' Trade and Friendly Society, and the Turners', Fitters' and Instrument Makers' Union. The AEU merged with the
Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers (AUFW) on 1 January 1968 to form the
Amalgamated Union of Engineering and Foundry Workers (
AEF), and with the
Draughtsmen and Allied Technicians' Association (DATA) and
Constructional Engineering Union in 1971 to form the
Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers (
AUEW). The union was now organised on a federal basis, with four sections: Engineering, Foundry, Construction, and
Technical, Administrative and Supervisory (TASS). This approach was not a success, as the various sections fell into dispute with each other. In 1984, the Engineering, Foundry and Construction Sections were merged and in 1986 adopted the name
Amalgamated Engineering Union once more, while the TASS remained separate and, in 1988, it became entirely independent of the union once more. Despite this series of amalgamations, declines in the number of workers in heavy industry saw membership drop from a peak of 1,483,400 in 1979, to 858,000 in 1986. The new union took the name
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union. ==Election results==