Originally formed in 1912 as the Australian Postal Electricians' Union, this union became known in 1943, as the Postal Telecommunication Technicians' Association. The union consisted of telephone engineers and maintenance workers. In 1976 the union changed its name to the Australian Telecommunications Employees' Association and, on merging with the Australian Telephone and Phonogram Officers' Association in 1988 assumed a shared title. In 1992 the union became known as the Communication Workers' Union of Australia after it amalgamated with the Australian Postal and Telecommunications Union.

The union was originally named the General Division Telephone Traffic Officers' Association in 1914, then the Commonwealth General Division Telephone Officers' Association in 1915, the Commonwealth Telephone Officers' Association in 1924, the Commonwealth Telephone and Phonogram Officers' Association in 1950 and then the Australian Telephone and Phonogram Officers' Association in 1975. It merged with the Australian Telecommunications Employees' Association in 1988 and this merged union then amalgamated with the Australian Postal and Telecommunications Union to become the Communication Workers' Union of Australia in 1992.