Post Office Engineering Union


The Post Office Engineering Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom. It represented engineering staff in the Post Office, mostly working in telecommunications.

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. 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. In 1925, the Post Office Telegraph Mechanicians' Society joined the union. However, by 1939, membership was only 39,000.
By 1983, the POEU was the twentieth largest union in the UK, with membership around 130,000. In 1985, it merged with the Postal and Telecommunications Group of the Civil and Public Services Association, forming the National Communications Union.

Election results

The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in each Parliamentary election from 1966 onwards.
ElectionConstituencyCandidateVotesPercentagePosition
1966 general electionIsle of Ely19,56643.82
1969 by-electionNewcastle-under-Lyme21,78646.11
1970 general electionColchester20,32535.02
1970 general electionMitcham22,04744.22
1970 general electionNewcastle-under-Lyme22,32948.91
1973 by-electionWesthoughton26,29457.01
Feb 1974 general electionEdinburgh Pentlands13,56030.82
Feb 1974 general electionNewcastle-under-Lyme28,60347.21
Feb 1974 general electionWesthoughton30,57451.51
Oct 1974 general electionNewcastle-under-Lyme28,15449.61
Oct 1974 general electionWesthoughton30,37354.11
1979 general electionBexleyheath13,34232.72
1979 general electionBlaydon24,68753.41
1979 general electionNewcastle-under-Lyme28,64948.51
1979 general electionWesthoughton29,68548.21
1983 general electionBlaydon21,28544.41
1983 general electionNewcastle-under-Lyme21,21042.01
1983 general electionWigan29,85954.61

Leadership

General Secretaries

Presidents