Deposit Z561 - Technical Service Guild deposit

The Technical Service Guild was formerly the National Service Guild, an in-house state-registered staff organisation within the company NCR. Registration of a union to represent employees in the business equipment, electronics and newly developing computer industry came about in 1970 as a result of the deterioration of conditions in the industry in the late 1960s. In its early years, the Technical Service Guild worked to establish a Federal Award which it gained in 1971, amid the fiercely anti-union sentiment of large employer groups in the industry. Over the next few years the Guild established branches in most states, and despite its scarce resources continued to organise and protect workers in what has now become the information technology field. The union finally merged with the Municipal Officers' Association of Australia and the Australian Transport Officers' Federation to form the Australian Municipal Transport Energy Water Ports Community and Information Services Union in 1991. After further amalgamations in 1992 and 1993, it became the Australian Municipal Administrative Clerical and Services Union, known as the Australian Services Union.