| Shipconstructors' and Shipwrights' Association | |
| Founded: | 1882 |
| Dissolved: | 1963 |
| Merged: | United Society of Boilermakers, Shipbuilders and Structural Workers |
| Members: | 19,350 (1907)[1] |
| Location Country: | United Kingdom |
| Affiliation: | TUC, CSEU, Labour |
| Headquarters: | 8 Eldon Square, Newcastle upon Tyne |
The Shipconstructors' and Shipwrights' Association (SSA) was a trade union representing shipbuilders in the United Kingdom.
The union was founded in 1882 as the Associated Society of Shipwrights, by eleven local unions in Scotland and North East England. Seven further unions in Scotland and North West England quickly joined the new association. The union changed its name to the Associated Shipwrights' Society, and gradually other unions around the UK affiliated.[2]
In 1908, the union merged with the Ship Constructive Association and the Amalgamated Society of Drillers and Hole Cutters, and renamed itself as the Ship Constructive and Shipwrights' Association, later changing this to the "Shipconstructors' and Shipwrights' Association". At the beginning of 1963, it merged with the United Society of Boilermakers, Shipbuilders and Structural Workers.
The union sponsored Labour Party candidates in several Parliamentary elections.[3]
| Election | Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6,692 | 62.5 | 1 | ||||
| 6,833 | 23.3 | 2 | ||||
| 6,130 | 45.3 | 2 | ||||
| 10,365 | 32.9 | 2 | ||||
| 8,957 | 29.3 | 2 | ||||
| 24,822 | 36.1 | 2 | ||||
| 4,705 | 25.9 | 2 | ||||
| 4,651 | 18.9 | 3[4] |
1882: Alexander Wilkie
1928: Frank Purdy (acting)
1929: William Westwood
1945: John Willcocks
1948: Sydney Ombler
1958: Arthur Williams