The Federated Rubber and Allied Workers' Union of Australia was an Australian trade union which existed between 1909 and 1988.[1] The union represented workers employed in manufacturing rubber, plastic, electrical cable, adhesive and abrasive products in Australia.[1]
| Merged into | National Union of Storeworkers, Packers, Rubber and Allied Workers |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1909 |
| Dissolved | 1988 |
| Headquarters | 55 Johnston Street, Port Melbourne, VIC |
| Location | |
Members | 20,000 (1973)[1] |
| Affiliations | ALP, ACTU, International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions |
History edit
The Federated Rubber and Allied Workers' Union was formed in 1909 and achieved registration in 1911 as the Rubber Workers' Union of Australia. By 1922 the union had a national membership of 2,000.[2] The union's name was changed in 1933 to the Federated Rubber and Allied Workers' Union of Australia.[3] Membership rose during the following decades, reaching 5150, of which 2,750 were employed in New South Wales and 2,400 in Victoria.[2] Female workers made up 36% of the union's membership in 1946, an unusually high proportion for an Australian union at the time.[2]
The union's membership was principally in the footwear and automotive industries, and membership decreased as these industries restructured in the late 20th century.[1] The Federated Rubber and Allied Workers' Union amalgamated with the Federated Storemen and Packers Union in 1988 to form the National Union of Storeworkers, Packers, Rubber and Allied Workers.[3] This body then merged with several other small unions in 1991 to form the National Union of Workers, which continues to provide representation for workers employed in the rubber industry.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Huntley, Pat and Huntley, Ian. (1985). "Inside Australia's Top 100 Trade Union". Northbridge:Ian Huntley Pty. Ltd. ISBN 0-9589527-01
- ^ a b c Tully, John (2012). "'Nothing but Rebels': Union Sisters at the Sydney Rubber Works, 1918-42". Labour History. 103 (103): 59–82. doi:10.5263/labourhistory.103.0059. JSTOR 10.5263/labourhistory.103.0059. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ a b Smith, Bruce A. created 4 November 2001, last modified 12 December 2002. Trade Union Entry: Federated Rubber & Allied Workers Union of Australia. "http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0486b.htm" Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ Background - National Union of Workers. "http://www.nuw.org.au/get-informed/about-nuw/background Archived 2011-09-03 at the Wayback Machine" National Union of Workers. Retrieved 7 October 2011.