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THE CLERKS: A History of the Federated Clerks Union in New South Wales South ClerksUnioninNew oftheFederated A History THE CLERKS: THE CLERKS THE CLERKS tells the story of the Federated Clerks Union of Australia New South Wales Branch, which was founded as the United Clerks Union in 1907. Following a merge in 2003 with the Municipal Employees Union the union once again bears the name UNITED - the United Services Union. Author Lynn Milne brings the story of the Federated Clerks’ Union, its members and Offi cials to life as she meticulously tracks the events and people that formed the union. From the most controversial episode in the life of the union in the 1940s and early 1950s when its leaders were communists and there was a fi erce struggle between them and the moderate Industrial ‘Groupers’ to the modern impacts of technology and legislation it is the members who stand out in this story of determination - united in their aim to make changes for the men and women of Australia - fi ghting for equal pay, fair rates and a fair go. A History of the Federated Clerks Union Lynn Milne Lynn in New South Wales published by LLynnynn MMilneilne UNITED SERVICES UNION ISBN: 9780958011754 (pbk.) The Clerks: Life and Work of the Federated Clerks Union in NSW, 1907-2003 Lynn Milne The Clerks: Life and Work of the Federated Clerks Union in NSW, 1907-2003 A History of the Federated Clerks Union in New South Wales 1907 - 2003 By Lynn Milne Published by the United Services Union Sydney First published in 2008 by The United Services Union Level 7, 321 Pitt St Sydney, 2000 NSW www.usu.org.au © Lynn Milne, 2008 Copy edited by Michael Hogan Index by Neale Towart Typset and cover by Southland Media Pty Ltd Printed by Novocastrian Print Management National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Milne, Lynn. Title: Th e clerks: life and work of the Federated Clerks Union in N.S.W, 1907-2003 : a history of the Federated Clerks Union in New South Wales 1907-2003 / Lynn Milne. ISBN: 9780958011754 (pbk.) 9780958011761 (hbk.) Notes: Includes index. Bibliography. Subjects: United Services Union. Labor unions--Clerks--New South Wales--History. Clerks--Labor unions--New South Wales. Dewey Number: 331.88116513709944 Contents Foreword i Introduction iii Abbreviations v Chapter 1 ‘Who is going to deal with the case of the clerks?’ 1907 – 1910 1 Chapter 2 Dealing with a Labor Government, 1910 – 1914 17 Chapter 3 A Wide Industrial and Political Front 1914-24 31 Chapter 4 Relations with the Labor Party and Lang, 1920 – 30 44 Chapter 5 The Depression, and Communist Infl uence 1930-1941 52 Chapter 6 The Union in Wartime, 1942-44 65 Chapter 7 Peacetime, 1945-47 92 Chapter 8 Challenge By The Industrial Groups, 1947-52 111 Chapter 9 Industrial Groups in Control and the Labor Split, 1952-57 149 Chapter 10 The Swing Of The Pendulum, 1952-1960 169 Chapter 11 The 1960s - ‘Diligence in our programme of awards and membership recruitment’ 187 Chapter 12 1970s – Facing Economic and Social Change 209 Chapter 13 The Early 1980s: ‘Within the bounds of social responsibility’ 225 Chapter 14 The Accord Era, 1983-7 243 Chapter 15 From The Accord to Enterprise Bargaining, 1988-1993 264 Chapter 16 From the Clerks’ Union to the United Services Union, 1992-2003 281 Endnotes 301 Bibliography 313 Index 317 Foreword The ninety six years of the “Clerks Union” history needed to be recorded. It needed to be recorded so that the contribution from the men and women of this great union, over these vital decades of Australia’s workplace development, could be told. Although the Federated Clerks Union amalgamated with the Municipal Employees Union in 2003 to form the United Services Union, the principles that led to the formation of the union in 1907 still drive the union, its offi cials, delegates and members today. There are many epoch events in the history of the Union. The initial claim by Arthur Jones for a fair go is still repeated by clerical and administrative staff across all sectors of the economy every working day. It was his courage and determination to beat the exploitation by management that led to the formation of the Union in 1907. The history covers the Industrial and Political involvement of the Union over the years 1907 to 2003. In that time there have been prominent members of the Union who occupied positions such as Judges, Premiers, Lord Mayors and Minister of the Crown, Members of Parliament from all sides of the political spectrum, Commissioners, Barristers and Solicitors. Some commenced their working life as employees of the FCU. The narrative reveals that the objectives of the Union have been pursued with vigour and integrity in every sector of the economy. Clerks/Administrative workers record the orders, the banking of the cash, organise the payment of the wages and ensure the earnings of the employer are properly recorded. Lynn Milne, the author has meticulously researched the contents of the book from the fi les of the Union and those held at the Mitchell Library. She has interviewed members of the Executive whose involvement with the Union dates back to the 1940’s. Lynn ensured the history was written as recorded. She scrutinised all records thoroughly. She went back and forth to ensure the interviews she conducted refl ect the history. This process extended the time required to have the history recorded. I thank her sincerely for the signifi cant effort she has put in this very worthwhile project. Fiona Hancock reviewed the contents of the history. Her work with the Union prior to admission as a Barrister assisted with the project. The FCU had a good reputation with the Tribunals, most Employers, its members and other Unions. The Union was able to respond to the requirements of its members and led the way for White Collar Workers to protect and improve their wages and conditions. Most of the gains were made through the arbitration process. The leaders of the Union insisted that “members must come fi rst”. In 1907 Arthur Jones did not have a Union to represent the “Clerks” interest. We owe him heaps of gratitude. i The Federated Clerks Union of Australia, N.S.W. Branch amalgamated with the Federated Municipal and Shire Council Employees Union of Australia, N.S.W. Division in May 2003. It is fi ve years on after the amalgamation and we are still agitating for the recognition of Clerical and Administrative staff to be recognised within the Union movement. A special thanks to all those who took the time and effort to contribute to the process. Their endeavours are very much appreciated. Yours faithfully, Michael Want Executive President ii Introduction and Acknowledgments The Federated Clerks Union of Australia New South Wales Branch, founded as the United Clerks Union in 1907 and registered in New South Wales, had a diffi cult beginning. At fi rst clerks were denied union representation as an occupation before Arbitration Courts and Wages Boards in New South Wales. After a long struggle their union won that right but the arbitration system found clerks perplexing and diffi cult to classify. Events outside the industrial sphere also had their effects on the union’s direction and progress. Wartime brought Commonwealth temporary clerks in large numbers to New South Wales and they faced the particular problems of a workforce deployed under wartime measures without the security of permanent Public Service jobs. The Depression and unstable leadership threatened the union’s survival but it rallied in the mid 1930s. During the 1940s the fi rst signifi cant batch of Federal Awards was obtained, mainly through the initiative of the New South Wales Branch, which also organised the wharf clerks into a closed shop, protecting their employment in a casualised industry. The union obtained many fi rst time State Awards for commercial clerks, notably in heavy industry, and in the 1950s the union joined the fi ght to have margins restored after the war years. The following decades saw the union make ground breaking advances in the fi elds of equal pay, clauses covering technological change, membership agreements and preference clauses and signifi cant progress was made in the diffi cult area of gradings in Awards. The most controversial episode in the life of the union took place in the 1940s and early 1950s when its leaders were communists and there was a fi erce struggle between them and the moderate Industrial ‘Groupers’. At stake was not only the control of the union; the fi ght was also seen as a battle in the war for the future direction and ideology of the labour movement. Those were exciting and well publicised times and the way events unfolded within the union is absorbing. The long term effect of this era has been to set the union’s political outlook towards the right wing of Labor. For Phil O’Toole, long serving Secretary of the union in the 1960s and 1970s, the events of that time were memorable but he was also concerned that the industrial work of the union should not be overshadowed by its political past. The moderates were determined that under their leadership industrial matters would be the union’s main preoccupation. This account of the union’s life attempts to refl ect not only the union’s political beginnings but its struggle to fi nd ways and means of organising and advancing the interests of one of the most numerous, variously skilled and inherently unstructured and patternless of all workforces. The focus of this book is on the union in New South Wales, as distinct from the Federation and the other State Branches.

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