AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS’ 75th anniversary COMMEMORATIVE BOOKLET Autographs THE ACTU 75 YEARS STRONG When union delegates gathered in the Victorian Trades Hall in 1927 to establish the Australian Council of Trade Unions they had a clear vision — to lift the living standards and quality of working life of working people. And their strategy to achieve this was also clear — to build union organisation of the workforce on a national basis. 75 years further on, the ACTU, its affiliated unions and their members can celebrate a proud record of achievement on behalf of working Australians and the community. The industrial gains are many: decades of wage increases through the award system and campaigns in the field, safer workplaces, equality for women, improvements in working hours, entitlements to paid holidays and better employment conditions, and the establishment of a universal superannuation system. The ACTU has played a role in all of these achievements, but has contributed to fairness and justice in the community as well – contributing to Australia’s post-war development and immigration program, the social security system, Medicare and education — to name just a few areas of policy. The ACTU has also represented Australian unionism in the international arena, opposing discrimination and oppression and supporting human rights. The ACTU aid agency, APHEDA — Union Aid Abroad, contributes to humanitarian projects in many countries. The enduring commitment of working Australians to a fairer society is reflected in the continuing fight to protect the fundamental principles of unionism. The right to organise and the right to collectively bargain sit at the heart of the 21st century struggle for a just Australia, just as it did throughout the previous century. We will best keep the faith with those who have worked and sacrificed to build the ACTU over the past 75 years by keeping the union cause bright and vibrant into the future. Sharan Burrow Greg Combet ACTU President ACTU Secretary g 1927 THE BEGINN ING NAME: AUSTRALASIAN COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS Objectives — the socialisation of industry, ie. Production, distribution and exchange Methods — consolidation of the Australian labour movement with the object of unified administration, action and control of industrial disputes — proposal for an all-Australian Council of Trade Unions adopted by Congress May 3 1927 Bruce’s militant anti-union government had its own waterfront dispute, attempting to control unionists by refusing them a license to work. The ACTU would essentially face the same fight 70 years later. he ACTU was born in a period of intense industrial turmoil. Coal miners, timberworkers, wharfies and manufacturing workers were all T mired in bitter strikes or lock-outs, some lasting more than a year. Under the conservative fist of Prime Minister Stanley Melbourne Bruce, secret ballots, repressive anti-strike laws and heavy financial penalties for strikers were the order of the day. On May 3 1927, 108 unions held their own parliament at Melbourne’s Trades Hall and voted overwhelmingly to form a national body. As the 20s drew to an end, the infant ACTU was about to be further tested by the extreme unemployment of the Depression years. Timberworkers’ dispute, late 1920s 3 g ACTU g75 years g Over the last 75 years the union movement In 1944 staff at Sydney newspapers the Herald, the Telegraph, the Sun and has made tremendous gains on the Mirror struck successfully for a 40 hour week.d the most important issues for workers and their families — wages, hours, representation, leave, security, safety. g 40 Hour Week In 1946, the ACTU lodged a claim for a 40 hour week. It argued that shorter hours would make workers more efficient and the booming economy could afford it. Two years later the case was won and the 40 hour week began on January 1, 1948. Surviving the g Reasonable Hours A 38 hour week was adopted Depression in many awards throughout the 1980s and used as a standard in the 1983 National By 1932, 30% of all trade unionists were out of work. Wage Case. However, in the g Embracing employment and the ACTU Affiliation to the ACTU weakened as unions lost last 2 decades working hours Immigration — driven by the foresight of money and members. Australia’s GDP fell by 30 have steadily grown again for For decades, unions opposed Albert Monk — embraced the million pounds in one year. The Arbitration Court cut many workers. This year, immigration and demanded ALP’s “populate or perish” award wages by 10% indefinitely. under the ACTU’s Reasonable enforcement of the White program. Millions of post-war When the recovery began in 1933, the ACTU argued Hours Test Case, the right to Australia Policy, in the belief migrants entered Australia that workers should share in the new growth and refuse overtime — if it that cheap, foreign labour and by 1966 they made up from 1934, succeeded in having the wage cut conflicted unreasonably with hurt employment. more than 30% of the gradually restored. family responsibilities or manufacturing workforce and health and safety — was But the expanding economy had begun changing extended to all workers. of the 1940s brought full Australian life for the better. 5 g ACTU g75 years g 1927-2002 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS g Equal Pay for Women g Leave For decades, women doing the same work as men were paid Over 75 years the ACTU has just a fraction of their salary. In fought for and won an line with societal norms of 1907, impressive raft of leave Justice Higgins, in establishing provisions bringing humanity the Basic Wage, ruled that a and balance into the lives of man’s wage must be enough to workers. This includes: feed and clothe his wife and 1941g 1 week annual leave family. A woman’s wage was to pay only for herself. 1941g sick leave g Unification of the Union weeks, and for workers over 45, 20 weeks. A landmark ruling in 1969 Movement — ACSPA & 1946g 2 weeks annual leave smashed through the CAGEO g Unions At Work — 1953g long service leave discrimination and by 1974 all In the late 1970s, Australia’s blue Building Our Future women were finally entitled to 1963g 3 weeks annual leave and white collar unions merged The ACTU’s new organising equal pay for work of equal under the banner of the ACTU, strategy detailed in the 1970g 4 weeks annual leave value. unifying the movement. The unions@work report in 1999 has 1971g maternity leave g 50/50 ACTU Executive merger with ACSPA (Australian delivered intensive training to Council of Salaried & more than 9000 organisers and 2001g maternity & carers In 1993, the ACTU Congress Professional Associations) and delegates through organising leave for casuals voted to bring gender balance CAGEO (Council of Australian centres in Sydney, Melbourne, to the Executive which had been The ACTU is now pushing for Government Employee Adelaide and Perth. The male-dominated since 1927. A extended carers leave, paid Organisations) extended the increased focus on strategic 50% quota achieved in 2000 has maternity leave and better ACTU’s reach across banking, workplace organising has been seen women equally included in access to all forms of leave insurance, teaching, local accompanied by two years of the decision-making processes for casuals. government, nursing and many net growth in union of the ACTU other white collar occupations. membership nationally. g Superannuation g Work and Family g Occupational Health and From as early as the 1960s, a In 2003 the ACTU will begin a Safety number of unions achieved Work and Family Test Case to Unionists have consistently superannuation for their create flexibility and choice for ranked OHS as a priority since members and established workers with young children. the ACTU’s first detailed policy industry funds. This led to a The claim includes an increase was adopted at the 1979 wider push among unions to in unpaid leave for new Congress. ensure working people would mothers, more flexible working be able to enjoy a decent level Recent national campaigns by hours and the right to return to of retirement income. the ACTU’s OHS Unit include part time work. hazardous chemicals (1995), In the 1986 National Wage Case, g Redundancy Payments dangerous machinery and the ACTU argued for and won equipment (1996), stress at 3% universal super for all award In 1984, an ACTU test case work (1997), work overload workers. Compulsory super has established a standard of 8 (1998), dangerous hours (1999) since risen to 9% through the weeks severance pay as an and bullying at work (2000). legislated Super Guarantee award right for sacked workers. Charge, negotiated under the The case reflected the changing A National Occupational Health Accord in 1991. The ACTU is now nature of a globalised economy and Safety Commission campaigning for a 15% rate. in which thousands of jobs were (NOHSC) was established in Industry funds started by unions being cut across most 1985 and in 2002, the ACTU, and employer organisations in industries, particularly blue state and federal governments the 1980s now have 7.4 million collar. In 2003 the ACTU will and employers endorsed members and $50 billion in launch a new test case to Australia’s first 10 year national workers’ savings. increase the 8 week limit to 16 OHS strategy. 7 g ACTU g75 years g Leaders The unionised workplace has produced some of our toughest and most savvy leaders. From its inception the leadership of the ACTU has been a roll call of brilliant working men and women who have Albert Monk (1900-1975) Harold Souter (1911-1994) Reg Broadby (1904-1956) played a central role in shaping Australia’s history.