▁of ▁Bo il erm akers ▁and ▁Iron ▁and ▁Ste el ▁Sh ip build ers ▁( U SB ), ▁and ▁Allen ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁secretary ▁of ▁its ▁Br istol ▁branch ▁in ▁his ▁spare ▁time . ▁ ▁George ▁Bro g den , ▁the ▁general ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁USB , ▁died ▁suddenly ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁and ▁Allen ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁replace ▁him . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁union ▁was ▁struggling , ▁with ▁many ▁members ▁un emp loy ed ▁and ▁funds ▁running ▁low . ▁ ▁Early ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁on ▁his ▁recommendation , ▁un emp loyment ▁benefits ▁to ▁members ▁were ▁reduced , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁Aut umn , ▁they ▁were ▁entirely ▁stopped . ▁ ▁While ▁many ▁members ▁were ▁unh appy ▁with ▁this , ▁its ▁did ▁enable ▁the ▁union ▁to ▁surv ive , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year , ▁it ▁had ▁ 3 , 4 5 3 ▁members ▁and ▁res erves ▁of ▁£ 1 , 7 7 8 . ▁ ▁Trade ▁improved ▁from ▁ 1 8 5 9 ▁on wards , ▁and ▁the ▁union ' s ▁position ▁improved , ▁allowing ▁un emp loyment ▁benefits ▁to ▁be ▁re inst ated ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁light ▁of ▁this ▁improved ▁position , ▁Allen ▁asked ▁the ▁union ▁to ▁increase ▁his ▁w ages , ▁to ▁match ▁what ▁Bro g den ▁had ▁been ▁paid . ▁ ▁The ▁union ' s ▁members ▁voted ▁against ▁this ▁proposal , ▁leading ▁Allen ▁to ▁res ign , ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁persu