Association of Scientific Workers
Encyclopedia
The Association of Scientific Workers (AScW) was a trade union
in the UK
. It was founded as the National Union of Scientific Workers in 1918, changing its name to the Association of Scientific Workers in 1927.
The union largely represented laboratory and technical workers in universities, the National Health Service
and in chemical and metal manufacturing. It was the union for scientist
s with a conscience, and could name half-a-dozen Nobel Prize
winners amongst its membership. The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher
was also a member.
In 1969 AScW merged with the ASSET (Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians
) to form ASTMS (the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs
)
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was founded as the National Union of Scientific Workers in 1918, changing its name to the Association of Scientific Workers in 1927.
The union largely represented laboratory and technical workers in universities, the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
and in chemical and metal manufacturing. It was the union for scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s with a conscience, and could name half-a-dozen Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
winners amongst its membership. The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
was also a member.
In 1969 AScW merged with the ASSET (Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians
Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians
The Association of Supervisory Staff, Executives and Technicians , was a British trade union, chiefly representing supervisors in the metal working and transport industries...
) to form ASTMS (the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs
Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs
ASTMS - The Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs was a British trade union, created in 1969 when ASSET merged with the AScW under the leadership of joint general secretaries: Clive Jenkins of ASSET and John Dutton of the AScW.ASSET, the larger of the two...
)