Union of Communication Workers
The Union of Communication Workers was a trade union in the United Kingdom for workers in the post office and telecommunications industries.
History
The union was founded in 1919 as the Union of Post Office Workers by the merger of the Postmen's Federation, Postal and Telegraph Clerks' Association and the Fawcett Association. It achieved official recognition, and as a result, in 1920 the London Postal Porters' Association, Central London Postmen's Association, Tracers' Association, Tube Staff Association, Messengers' Association and Sorters' Association all merged with it. It was banned legally from TUC membership from 1927 to 1946. Its longest strike was for 7 weeks in 1971.It changed its name in 1980, and merged with the National Communications Union in 1995 to form the Communication Workers' Union.
Election results
The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in each Parliamentary election. From 1927 until the end of World War II, the union was legally barred from affiliating to the party, so its candidates in that period are omitted from many sources.| Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position |
| 1922 general election | Bury | 9,643 | 36.7 | 2 | |
| 1922 general election | Camberwell North | 8,320 | 50.8 | 1 | |
| 1922 general election | Carlisle | 7,870 | 37.6 | 1 | |
| 1922 general election | Harborough | 6,205 | 28.2 | 3 | |
| 1922 general election | Newport | 16,000 | 45.7 | 2 | |
| 1922 general election | Stockton-on-Tees | 11,183 | 34.3 | 2 | |
| 1923 general election | Bristol East | 14,824 | 53.7 | 1 | |
| 1923 general election | Bury | 9,568 | 36.1 | 2 | |
| 1923 general election | Camberwell North | 10,620 | 64.2 | 1 | |
| 1923 general election | Carlisle | 9,120 | 40.5 | 1 | |
| 1923 general election | Newport | 14,100 | 38.6 | 2 | |
| 1923 general election | Stockton-on-Tees | 10,619 | 31.2 | 3 | |
| 1924 general election | Bristol East | 16,920 | 58.2 | 1 | |
| 1924 general election | Bury | 10,286 | 36.1 | 2 | |
| 1924 general election | Camberwell North | 11,300 | 54.9 | 1 | |
| 1924 general election | Carlisle | 10,676 | 45.5 | 2 | |
| 1924 general election | Newport | 18,263 | 47.2 | 2 | |
| 1924 general election | Stockton-on-Tees | 11,948 | 33.1 | 2 | |
| 1929 general election | Bristol East | 24,197 | 65.8 | 1 | |
| 1929 general election | Camberwell North | 13,051 | 57.9 | 1 | |
| 1929 general election | Carlisle | 12,779 | 40.4 | 1 | |
| 1929 general election | Crewe | 20,948 | 50.2 | 1 | |
| 1929 general election | Stockton-on-Tees | 18,961 | 41.2 | 1 | |
| 1929 general election | Walthamstow East | 11,039 | 39.6 | 1 | |
| 1931 general election | Camberwell North | 9,869 | 48.1 | 2 | |
| 1931 general election | Carlisle | 13,445 | 42.7 | 2 | |
| 1931 general election | Crewe | 18,351 | 42.2 | 2 | |
| 1931 general election | Stockton-on-Tees | 18,168 | 38.4 | 2 | |
| 1931 general election | Walthamstow East | 9,983 | 31.2 | 2 | |
| 1935 general election | Camberwell North | 11,701 | 64.7 | 1 | |
| 1935 general election | Crewe | 20,620 | 48.7 | 2 | |
| 1935 general election | Walthamstow East | 14,378 | 46.0 | 2 | |
| 1945 general election | Clitheroe | 19,443 | 53.7 | 1 | |
| 1945 general election | Heston and Isleworth | 29,192 | 54.3 | 1 | |
| 1945 general election | Walthamstow East | 15,650 | 51.1 | 1 | |
| 1950 general election | Clitheroe | 18,359 | 43.8 | 2 | |
| 1950 general election | Heston and Isleworth | 29,013 | 43.6 | 2 | |
| 1950 general election | Walthamstow East | 18,478 | 47.0 | 1 | |
| 1951 general election | Droylsden | 26,829 | 51.8 | 1 | |
| 1951 general election | Dumfriesshire | 16,669 | 38.7 | 2 | |
| 1951 general election | Mitcham | 28,187 | 45.3 | 2 | |
| 1951 general election | Walthamstow East | 19,036 | 47.5 | 1 | |
| 1955 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 24,638 | 59.7 | 1 | |
| 1955 general election | Walthamstow East | 15,744 | 43.1 | 2 | |
| 1955 by-election | Gateshead West | 13,196 | 66.5 | 1 | |
| 1959 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 24,975 | 60.2 | 1 | |
| 1959 general election | Gateshead West | 21,277 | 64.9 | 1 | |
| 1963 by-election | Manchester Openshaw | 16,101 | 65.9 | 1 | |
| 1964 general election | Bristol North East | 21,212 | 44.2 | 2 | |
| 1964 general election | Gateshead West | 21,390 | 69.0 | 1 | |
| 1964 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 22,589 | 59.6 | 1 | |
| 1966 general election | Brighton Kemptown | 24,936 | 50.8 | 1 | |
| 1966 general election | Bristol North East | 25,699 | 54.2 | 1 | |
| 1966 general election | Gateshead West | 20,381 | 74.8 | 1 | |
| 1966 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 22,103 | 64.9 | 1 | |
| 1970 general election | Brighton Kemptown | 21,105 | 42.9 | 2 | |
| 1970 general election | Bristol North East | 22,792 | 49.5 | 2 | |
| 1970 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 19,397 | 60.2 | 1 | |
| 1971 by-election | Stirling and Falkirk | 17,536 | 46.5 | 1 | |
| Feb 1974 general election | Brighton Kemptown | 19,484 | 38.1 | 2 | |
| Feb 1974 general election | Hampstead | 17,279 | 38.3 | 2 | |
| Feb 1974 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 16,478 | 53.5 | 1 | |
| Feb 1974 general election | Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth | 21,685 | 41.9 | 1 | |
| Feb 1974 general election | Western Isles | 2,879 | 19.2 | 2 | |
| Oct 1974 general election | Brighton Kemptown | 19,060 | 40.3 | 2 | |
| Oct 1974 general election | Hampstead | 16,414 | 40.6 | 2 | |
| Oct 1974 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 16,109 | 57.6 | 1 | |
| Oct 1974 general election | Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth | 22,090 | 43.3 | 1 | |
| 1979 general election | Manchester Openshaw | 17,099 | 62.1 | 1 | |
| 1979 general election | Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth | 29,499 | 56.5 | 1 | |
| 1983 general election | Falkirk East | 17,956 | 47.7 | 1 | |
| 1987 general election | Falkirk East | 21,379 | 54.2 | 1 | |
| 1992 general election | Falkirk East | 18,423 | 46.1 | 1 |