Editing ASLEF (section)

===Relations with industrial unionism===
In the 1880s ASLEF's foundation as a craft union exclusively for one defined part of the railway workforce went against the industrial unionist trend of the [[New Unionism]] movement. In 1880, the ASRS denounced the enginemen's decision as ''"very selfish"'' and ''"an act of folly"''<ref name=Raynes40>Raynes, 1921, p. 40.</ref> and declared ''"the sooner our friends the enginemen... give up the idea of forming a separate Association the better"''.<ref name=Raynes40/><ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 25.</ref>

ASLEF succeeded in getting more locomotive drivers and firemen to join a trade union, but it has never succeeded in recruiting all drivers or firemen. In 1900, the ASRS wanted amalgamation,<ref name=Raynes124>Raynes, 1921, p. 124.</ref> but ASLEF proposed federation with the drivers and firemen of the ASRS.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 110.</ref> A Scheme of Federation was drafted and ASLEF's triennial conference adopted it in 1903.<ref name=Raynes124/> There were joint meetings of the Executive Committees of the two unions until 1906 when relations broke down.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 125.</ref>

In 1907, [[David Lloyd George]], [[president of the Board of Trade]], brought about a conciliation board for the railway industry with representatives of both the companies and their workforces.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 140.</ref> ASLEF initially welcomed the new board,<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 141.</ref> but later grew dissatisfied with its slow operation and dubbed it a "confiscation" board.<ref>Raynes, 1921, pp. 147–148.</ref> In August 1911, the ASRS, ASLEF, the United Pointsmen's and Signalmen's Society (founded 1880) and the General Railway Workers' Union (founded 1889) jointly called the United Kingdom's [[National Railway strike of 1911|first national rail strike]].<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 148.</ref> In only two days it succeeded in forcing the [[Liberal Government 1905–1915|Liberal Government]] to set up a [[Royal Commission#United Kingdom|Royal Commission]] to examine the workings of the 1907 conciliation board.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 151.</ref>

ASLEF's then General Secretary, [[Albert E. Fox]], claimed that the 1911 victory showed there was no need to amalgamate with the ASRS and that Federation should be restored.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 154.</ref> Fox drafted a new federation scheme, but in October 1911, the ASRS rejected ''"the further extension of sectionalism contained therein"'' and expressed the opinion that the success of the national strike indicated ''"that one railway union will prove to be most beneficial for all railwaymen"''.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 96.</ref> In 1913,<ref name=Raynes165>Raynes, 1921, p. 165.</ref> the ASRS, GRWU and UPSS duly merged to form the [[National Union of Railwaymen]]. ASLEF stayed out of the new industrial union and held to the slogan ''"organise your trade, federate your industry"''<ref name=Raynes165/> coined by Fox.

During the First World War the cost of living increased rapidly. From July 1914 to September 1915, for example, [[food prices]] rose 37%.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 178.</ref> For the duration of the war, the government was in control of the railways. Wages were increased, but at a slower rate than the rise in the cost of living.<ref>Raynes, 1921, pp. 178–179.</ref> NUR and ASLEF responded jointly, and forced the [[Board of Trade]] to award wage increases in September 1916 and April 1917.<ref>Raynes, 1921, pp. 181–182.</ref> In March 1919, the [[United Kingdom coalition government (1916–1922)|coalition government]] indicated that it intended to review the War Wage, with a view to reducing it at the end of the year.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 263.</ref> The NUR and ASLEF started a second national railway strike in September 1919,<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 266.</ref> which in nine days won both a change in pay policy and the reduction of the working day to eight hours.<ref>Raynes, 1921, p. 269.</ref>

After 1919, control of the railways was returned to the companies, and in 1923, the [[Railways Act 1921]] merged about 120 of Great Britain's railways into four large regional companies. In December 1923, the new companies presented proposals that included some reductions in locomotive men's pay and conditions.<ref>McKillop, 1950, p. 136.</ref> Negotiations broke down and ASLEF ordered its members to strike, but the NUR instructed its members – including locomotivemen – to stay at work.<ref>McKillop, 1950, pp. 136–140.</ref> After another nine-day strike, ASLEF was victorious, but the disagreement between ASLEF and the NUR left deep division.<ref>McKillop, 1950, pp. 140–141.</ref>

Eventually ASLEF and the NUR agreed a new Railway Union Federation in 1982, but this failed to end mutual suspicion. About the time that the NUR and [[National Union of Seamen]] merged in 1990 to form the [[National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers|RMT]] the federation broke down, and neither federation nor merger has been negotiated since.