The union was established in November 1874 as the South Australian Typographical Society. It became known as Branch No. 3 of the Australasian Typographical Society when the federal body was formed in 1880. In December 1916 the union became the South Australian Branch of the Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia.

The Printing & Kindred Industries Union was formed on 6 July 1966 after the amalgamation of the Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia and the Amalgamated Printing Trades Employees' Union of Australia. In 1986 the PKIU amalgamated with the Federated Photo Engravers Photo-Lithographers & Photogravure Employees' Association of Australia, and in 1992 with the Victorian Printers Operatives' Union. It was re-registered and retained its name until 1995 when the PKIU amalgamated with the Automotive Food Metals and Engineering Union to form the Automotive Food Metals Engineering Printing & Kindred Industries Union, otherwise known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union.

The Advertiser Chapel reformed on 27 March 1863 and it is likely that it was first formed in 1858 when the South Australian Advertiser newspaper started publication. After the South Australian Typographical Society was established in 1874, members of the Chapel were required to be members of the Society, and of its successors the Printing Industry Employees' Union and the Printing and Kindred Industries Union, South Australian Branch.