▁ ▁The ▁lack ▁of ▁leadership ▁led ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁union ' s ▁membership ▁to ▁defect ▁to ▁its ▁main ▁riv als , ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Build ers ' ▁Labour ers , ▁the ▁United ▁Order ▁of ▁General ▁Labour ers ▁of ▁Great ▁Britain ▁and ▁Ireland , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Build ers ' ▁Labour ers ▁Union . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁National ▁Federation ▁of ▁Building ▁Trade ▁Oper atives ▁arranged ▁a ▁mer ger ▁conference ▁between ▁the ▁four ▁un ions ▁of ▁labour ers , ▁but ▁Ward ▁returned ▁and ▁with d rew ▁the ▁union ▁from ▁them . ▁ ▁He ▁renamed ▁the ▁union ▁as ▁the ▁Public ▁Work ers ▁and ▁Const ruction al ▁Oper atives ' ▁Union , ▁but ▁it ▁never ▁became ▁a ▁significant ▁force ▁again . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 , ▁its ▁Staff ord shire ▁district ▁merged ▁into ▁the ▁Transport ▁and ▁General ▁Work ers ' ▁Union , ▁and ▁the ▁last ▁rem nant ▁of ▁the ▁union , ▁still ▁led ▁by ▁Ward , ▁disappeared ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁Le ad ership ▁ ▁General ▁Secret aries ▁ 1 8 8 9 : ▁Arthur ▁Hum ph rey ▁ 1 8 9 6 : ▁W . ▁Martin ▁ 1 8 9 7 : ▁John ▁Ward ▁ ▁Pres idents ▁ 1 8 9 0 : ▁John ▁Ward ▁ 1 8 9 7 : ▁Richard ▁Dav ies ▁ 1 8 9 9 : ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Arthur ▁I vor ▁Marsh . ▁Conc ise ▁en cyc lopedia ▁of ▁industrial ▁relations . ▁G ower ▁Press , ▁Dec ▁