Deposit N61 - Marine Cooks, Bakers and Butchers’ Association of Australasia, Federal Office deposit

Marine Cooks, Bakers and Butchers’ Association of Australasia was formed in Melbourne in August 1907 as a breakaway group from the Federated Stewards and Cooks’ Union of Australia. It was registered under the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act in January 1908 and affiliated with the Trades and Labour Council in April 1908. The Marine Cooks, Bakers and Butchers’ Association's Head Office moved from Melbourne to Sydney in January 1915 and, at various times, there were Branches or Agencies in Brisbane, Newcastle, Melbourne, Adelaide, Fremantle and in other Australian ports. In November 1908 Mr Justice Higgins issued a judgement on rates of pay and hours for marine cooks in a case involving the Marine Cooks' Association and the Commonwealth Steamship Owners’ Association. In 1914 the Marine Cooks' Association drew up agreements on wages and conditions for marine cooks with the Commonwealth Steamship Owners’ Association and Burns Philp. Awards covering marine cooks were determined in 1921, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1933, 1941, 1950 and 1966. After 1973 wages and conditions for most marine cooks were determined by the Maritime Industry Seagoing Award. In 1983 the Marine Cooks, Bakers and Butchers’ Association of Australasia amalgamated with the Seamen’s Union of Australia, which then amalgamated with the Waterside Workers' Federation in 1993 to form the Maritime Union of Australia.