Amicus is a British Trade Union formed by the merger of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) and the, Manufacturing Science Finance (MSF), on 1 January 2002, making it the second biggest in country with over a million members and the latest in a new breed of super unions.
The merger is not however due to be totally effective until the end of 2003, and currently still operates as two separate sections; the Amicus-AEEU ( see www.aeeu.org.uk ) is the blue-collar manufacturing bit and Amicus-MSF ("the union for skilled and professional people" - see
www.msf.org.uk ) is basically the white-collar part.
The "natural choice for skilled people in the private sector" according to its first General Secretary
Ken Jackson.
In July 2002 Ken Jackson, Tony Blair's favourite union leader failed to win re-election for the post of General Secretaty of the Union. Despite being the clear favourite to win he was ousted by left wing outsider Derek Simpson in an acrimonious and hotly disputed contest. At one time it appeared as if Ken Jackson was ready to contest the result and drag the whole isssue before the courts, before he finally relented, resigned and conceded defeat.
With the massive block vote of the Amicus trade union now in the hands of a committed Socialist, Tony Blair may find it harder to control future Labour Party conferences.