The Building Workers' Industrial Union of Australia formed from the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of Australia in 1945 but was deregistered in 1948. An anti-communist faction of the union established a new Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners in 1950 which eventually became part of the Australian Workers' Union. The Building Workers' Industrial Union formally reconstituted in 1962. Members of the Federated Bricklayers' Association of Australia (deregistered 1950) and the Slaters Tilers Shinglers and Roof Fixers Union of Australia (deregistered 1976) also joined. In 1991 the BWIU amalgamated with the timber unions to become the Australian Timber and Allied Industries Union and Building Workers' Industrial Union (ATAIU & BWIU) Amalgamated Union and to eventually be part of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union in 1993.

Formed in 1911, the Australian Builders' Labourers' Federation's predecessors include the United Labourers' Friendly Society (1850s), the Melbourne United Labourers' Protection Society (1882), the Builders' Labourers' Union of Victoria (1898), the United Labourers' Protective Society of New South Wales (1883), the Builders' Labourers' Union of New South Wales (1901), the Adelaide Builders' Labourers' Society, and the Brisbane Builders' Labourers' Union. The Western Australian union joined the Federation in 1966. In 1972 it became the Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders' Labourers' Federation until it was deregistered in 1974. It was registered again in 1976, but following a joint Federal and Victorian government Royal Commission was deregistered in 1986. Many members transferred to the Building Workers' Industrial Union and the Western Australian, Queensland, South Australian and Tasmanian branches merged with the BWIU. Branches in New South Wales and Victoria continued to operate into the 1990s and in the Australian Capital Territory till 1989.