The Associated Iron Moulders of Scotland (AIMS) was a trade union representing foundry workers in Scotland.
The union was created in 1831 as the Scottish Iron Moulders' Union. Its founder was James Dunn, a former cotton worker who had been blacklisted for trade union activities in his own trade. He spotted a gap produced by the failure of the Scottish Iron Moulders' Friendly Society, and the new union was successful, growing to 556 members by 1834, and gaining increases of 4 shillings per week for its members.Arthur Marsh and Victoria Ryan, Historical Directory of British Trade Unions, vol.2, pp.21-22
The union attempted to restrict the number of workers in the industry by campaigning to limit the number of apprentices, and charging a fee of £5 for non-Scottish workers to join the union. Due to its high subscriptions, it was able to pay a pension of 3s 6d per week to retired members, and additional benefits including one for members who suffered accidents at work.
The union adopted its final name in 1869, joining the Trades Union Congress in 1875. It was also an early member of the Scottish Trades Union Congress. By the early 1910s, it had more than 7,500 members.
In 1920, the union merged with the Friendly Society of Iron Founders of England, Ireland and Wales and the Amalgamated Society of Coremakers of Great Britain to form the National Union of Foundry Workers.
General Secretaries 1831: James Dunn McGowan 1850: William Lees 1852: David Adamson 1860: Colin Steel 1866: Robert Skimming 1869: John Fraser 1879: James Millar Jack 1912: John Brown 1918: James Fulton
References
External links Catalogue of the AIMS archives, held at the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick