PART OF THE FURNITURE Moments in the History of the Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Victoria LYNN BEATON MUP|© Melbourne University Publishing MUP CUSTOM An imprint of Melbourne University Publishing Ltd 187 Grattan Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053 Australia [email protected] www.mup.com.au First published 2007 Text © Lynn Beaton 2007 Images © Individual copyright holders 2007 Design and typography © Melbourne University Publishing Ltd 2007 Designed by Phil Campbell Typeset in New Baskerville Printed in Australia by Griffin Press This book is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or process whatsoever without the prior written permission of the publishers. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Beaton, Lynn. Part of the furniture: moments in the history of the Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Victoria. Bibliography. Includes index. ISBN 9780522854169 (hbk.). 1. Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Australasia. Victorian Branch—History. 2. Furniture workers—Labor unions—Victoria— History. 3. Furniture industry and trade—Victoria—History. I. Title. 331.88184109945 CONTENTS Preface vii Image Acknowledgements x Introduction xi Chapter 1 1 Beginnings Chapter 2 27 Crafting a Place in the Nation Chapter 3 62 Becoming Proletarian Chapter U 91 Depression Between Wars Chapter 5 122 Post-War Divisions Chapter 6 152 Into the Fray Chapter 7 179 Tricky Amalgamation Chapter 8 212 Schism and Integration Chapter 9 266 New Directions References 266 Index 270 PREFACE While reading the Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Victoria’s history I was struck by how much I didn’t know about a Union I’ve been part of for nearly two decades. So much of what Lynn Beaton has painstakingly, and thoroughly researched and written about, points to a Union with a rich, vibrant and, at times, fascinating history. The FFTS’ story was crying out to be compiled and told. This is especially the case given much of the turbulence endured by this Union during its existence of well over 100 years. Lynn’s heartfelt research and writing of the his­ tory of the Victorian FFTS Branch is particularly timely, given the attacks on workers and their unions by the Howard Liberal Government. The story of the FFTS is inspiring and uplifting. It confirms that unions are living, dynamic organizations made up by people. I throw in this seemingly obvious point because so much of modern Australian trade unionism reflects a bureaucratic subservience to the dictates of the system. Above and beyond the numerous functions of a union, fun­ damentally they are organizations made up by, and who depend on working people. The FFTS has not been an exception to what may seem the most basic of points. Throughout the years of its existence, many of those who form the employer class and, indeed some Australian govern­ ments, have waged overt campaigns to smash unions. In fact, the current right-wing (neo-liberal) government of Australia, led by those most venomous haters of unions and those they seek to represent—Prime Ministerjohn Howard—has embarked on a legislative crusade to throttle unions out of legal existence. What is becoming increasingly clear in the industrial landscape of twenty-first century Australia, is that when employers and politicians advocate the smashing of unions, their real objective is to strip back the rights of working people. Lynn Beaton documents how, for well over a century, the FFTS has resisted the attacks foisted on it by the system, and continues to ‘punch above its weight’ in the fight to advance the interests of its members. Over more recent years, along with the expected attacks faced by the union movement from governments and employers, the FFTS experi­ enced its own internal ructions—some of which could be described as sell inllii led, ami Olliers more in keeping with the 1990s ACI U/AI.I’ push lot union amalgamations. As one ol those officials at the IFTS (luting these turbulent and highly-charged times, I could not help but foci that the Union’s very existence was hanging by a thread. It did not seem fair and just that a proud union, one whose beginnings can be traced back to the initial European settlement of Melbourne, could have its fate decided by a bureaucratic stroke of a pen. If not for the commitment and tireless efforts of members and officials, the FFTS could very well have vanished from the Australian trade union move­ ment, and perhaps occupy merely the space of a footnote in the history of years to come. Fundamentally, the successful battle to save the FFTS served as the inspiration to commission a history of this great Union. The compiling and telling of the FFTS story has, in recent years, become equally imperative because so many loyal, diehard FFTS members are reaching their twilight years. I sincerely hope that this book—the history of their Union—brings them the pride and satisfaction they so very much deserve. A union is a reflection of its members and, in reading this Union history, I am proud to say that FFTS members are as salt-of-the- earth as the best of them. Throughout this warts and all history, the FFTS emerges as a distinct Union in its own right, with some unique ‘quirks’, such as the ability to defy the prevailing orthodoxy of the specific times—a trait the Union carries to the present day. And, like many good histories, this one also encompasses the key signposts of the nation’s development from the mid-1850s. By following the FFTS journey over nearly 150 years, we pass through the momentous events of Australia’s history, including 1890s Depression, the two World Wars and many other events. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those members of the Union and Committee of Management who supported the com­ missioning of this history. Of course none of our plans in regards to this project would have seen the light of day without the hard work of Lynn Beaton. Lynn’s passion for labour history shines through in the history of the FFTS. Without her keen historian’s eye and meticulous researching skills, many of the finer or obscure details would have been lost forever. The FFTS has well and truly stood the test of time. Lynn Beaton has gone a long way towards ensuring that this—the official history of the FFTS—also stands the test of time and does justice to all viii Preface iIkisc members and oHi< ials who have contributed In the lift- <>l I lit- Union. For this we owe Lynn a debt of gratitude. Finally, as Branch Secretary of the Victorian FFTS, I would like to extend my thanks to those who agreed to be interviewed for this book. < >ver the years much water has passed under the bridge, especially in the hurly-burly of internal CFMEU politics. As a participant who has not always seen eye-to-eye with some in the CFMEU, I am, nevertheless, grateful to all those who have managed to rise above this, and make a positive contribution to this important Union history. Leo Skourdoumbis Branch Secretary March 2007 Preface IX IMAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 4; United Furnishing Trades Society, 1882, T58/1/1, p. 7; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 9; Reprinted from The History of Capital and Labour (1888) Oceanic Publishing Co. (p. 121), p. 11; Minute Book, United Furnishing Trades Society, 1882, T58/1/1, p. 20; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 28; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 31; Courtesy of the University of Melbourne Archive, p. 41; FFTS, Victorian Branch Office, p. 53 (top); Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 53 (bottom); photo: Denis Evans, p. 54; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 74; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 79; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 83; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 88; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 89; FTTS Board Room, p. 99 (top); Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, photo: Lynn Beaton, p. 99 (bottom); Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 102; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 105; photo: Denis Evans, p. 117; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 118; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 128; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 145; Courtesy of the Noel Butlin Archive, p. 147; Courtesy of the Herald & Weekly Times Photographic Collection, p. 148; Courtesy of the Herald & Weekly Times Photo­ graphic Collection (Herald/Sun), p. 153; Courtesy of the Herald & Weekly Times Photographic Collection, p. 155; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 159; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 160; photo: anon., p. 161; photo: anon., p. 163; photo: Guy Willoughby, p. 165; photo/s anon., p. 188; photo: anon., p. 191; photo: anon., p. 195; photo: anon., p. 196; photo: anon., p. 213; photo: anon., p. 214; photo: anon., p. 257; photo: Denis Evans, p. 258; photo: Lynn Beaton, p. 260; Photo courtesy of Publicity Works, p. 263. x INTRODUCTION Writing a history is as close to time travelling as it’s possible to get. It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to do it, but most of all you feel so honoured when you dig deeply into the records of the past and find the treasures of the lives lived there. The everyday becomes exotic; meetings in houses, the sewing of banners, elections for union officials, singing after meetings—even the process of writing the minutes of the meetings—all of these things, undertaken with varying degrees of duty, enthusiasm and sometimes excitement and pleasure, take on new life as (hey enrich the lives we live in their shadow and in their future.