Post Office Engineering Union

Archive Collection
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Scope and Content

This collection includes: rules and related records; minutes and papers of executive council, committees and conferences; accounts; circulars; correspondence; periodical and other publications; research records; records on appointment of officers.

Administrative / Biographical History

The Post Office Amalgamated Engineering and Stores Association was founded in 1915 when the Post Office Engineering and Stores Association merged with the Amalgamated Society of Telephone Employees. In 1919 it became the Post Office Engineering Union. In 1925 it absorbed the Post Office Telegraph Mechanicians' Society. In 1985 POEU amalgamated with the Postal and Telecommunications Group of the Civil and Public Services Association to form the National Communications Union. In January 1995 the Union of Communication Workers and the National Communications Union merged to form the Communication Workers' Union.

The Engineering Officers' (Telecommunications) Association was a breakaway union whose members defected from the Post Office Engineering Union in 1945. After the Terrington Committee recommended closer association between unions in the Post Office, the Association was dissolved and its membership returned to the Post Office Engineering Union.

Reference: '75 years. A short history of the POEU' (POEU, 1962); F. Bealey, 'The Post Office Engineering Union : the history of the Post Office Engineers, 1870-1970' (London, 1976).

Access Information

This collection is available to researchers by appointment at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick. See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/using/

Other Finding Aids

Link to full catalogue: http://mrc-catalogue.warwick.ac.uk/records/PEU

Related Material

The Centre also holds records of the National Communications Union and papers of R. Leonard Fagg, Post Office engineering trade unionist.

The Society of Post Office Engineers (1905-1972) was a separate union. It's records are listed with those of the Society of Post Office Executives (MSS.124).

Records of the Post Office Engineering Union Research Department (MSS.135B/RD) are also held but have not been listed.