▁him ▁on ▁a ▁temporary ▁basis . ▁ ▁Ste ad man ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁solve ▁the ▁union ' s ▁problems , ▁and ▁membership ▁reached ▁an ▁all - time ▁low ▁of ▁ 2 3 6 ▁members ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 5 . ▁ ▁Francis ▁Sim s ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁full - time ▁general ▁secretary , ▁in ▁a ▁final ▁attempt ▁to ▁turn ▁its ▁fort unes ▁around . ▁ ▁He ▁under to ok ▁a ▁tour ▁of ▁the ▁UK , ▁attempting ▁to ▁form ▁new ▁branches ▁and ▁strength en ▁existing ▁ones . ▁ ▁While ▁this ▁produced ▁mixed ▁results , ▁membership ▁began ▁to ▁recover , ▁and ▁a ▁successful ▁strike ▁in ▁Bol ton ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁an ▁agreement ▁signed ▁with ▁She ff ield ▁Town ▁Council ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁further ▁improved ▁his ▁reputation . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁he ▁too ▁was ▁found ▁to ▁have ▁em be zz led ▁union ▁funds , ▁leading ▁to ▁his ▁imprison ment ▁for ▁six ▁months . ▁ ▁On ▁release , ▁he ▁tried ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁break away ▁union , ▁the ▁Elect rical ▁W ire men ' s ▁Union , ▁but ▁this ▁failed ▁to ▁grow ▁and ▁was ▁dis band ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁ ▁Alfred ▁E wer ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁Sim s ' ▁replacement , ▁and ▁the ▁union ▁joined ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁Engineering ▁and ▁Sh ip building ▁Tr ades ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁ ▁E wer ' s ▁time ▁in ▁office ▁was ▁marked ▁by ▁conflict