In 1889, the Manchester and Salford Tramway Company began offering a reward to members of the public to inform on any acts of possible fraud committed by its staff.

Workers on the tramways objected, fearing that the system would be abused, and founded a union to protect their interests, the Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Hackney Carriage Employees and Horsemen in General.

That year, it was renamed as the Tramway, Hackney Carriage Employees and Horsemen's Association.

Membership continued to grow, reaching 10,000 in 1901, when it became the "Amalgamated Association of Tramway and Vehicle Workers".

This inspired the London Tramway Employees' Union to amalgamate in 1904, and by 1910 membership had reached 17,076.