Identity area
Type of entity
Trade union
Authorized form of name
General Labourers' Union of Australasia
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1891 - 1894
History
The impetus to form the General Labourers' Union of Australasia arose out of difficulties the Amalgamated Shearers' Union of Australasia faced in overcoming the effect non-unionised, unskilled labourers had in negating any strike action the shearers were resolved to undertake. This was particularly evident in the 1891 shearers' strike in Queensland. At the inaugural annual conference held in Adelaide on 9 February 1891 it was overwhelmingly voted by the ASU delegates present that this new General Labourers' Union be formed to provide union coverage for shedhands, so as 'to unite to a man and so present an unbreakable square in time of need'. The administrative and governmental structures of the GLU virtually mirrored those of the ASU. Shortlived, the GLU ultimately merged with the ASU again in 1894 to create the Australian Workers' Union.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
Representation for labourers
Mandates/sources of authority
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Occupations
Control area
Authority record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Entered from deposit description 9 October 2012
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Australian Trade Union Archives website: www.atua.org.au