Between class and gender: Female activists in the Illawarra 1975–1980 Frances Laneyrie A thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Department of Management Auckland University of Technology 2010 1 Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... ix Ethics Approval ................................................................................................................. x Abbreviations ................................................................................................................... xi Abstract .......................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter One: Introduction................................................................................................. 1 The Case Studies ........................................................................................................... 2 The South Coast Labour Council (SCLC) ............................................................ 3 The Wollongong Women‟s Information Centre (WWIC) .................................... 5 Thesis Contribution ....................................................................................................... 8 Identification of Previously Unacknowledged Women‟s Activism...................... 8 Theoretical Contribution ....................................................................................... 9 Research Tools ...................................................................................................... 9 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 10 Chapter Overview ........................................................................................................ 11 Chapter Two: Australian Labour History ....................................................................... 15 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 15 Australian Labour History as „Different‟ .................................................................... 16 Labour History as the History of a Social Class ................................................. 18 Origins of Australian Labour History ................................................................. 20 Australian Society for the Study of Labour History ........................................... 21 The „New Left‟ .................................................................................................... 23 Feminists in Australian Labour History ...................................................................... 26 A Special Edition of Labour History .................................................................. 28 ii Four Landmark Books ........................................................................................ 30 Women, Class and History: Feminist Perspectives on Australia 1788–1978 ..... 32 The „Unhappy Marriage‟ Metaphor ............................................................................ 35 Peak Union Bodies ...................................................................................................... 38 Gendered Nature of Peak Union Organisations .................................................. 46 Chapter Three: Epistemology and Methodology ............................................................ 49 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 49 Feminist Standpoints ................................................................................................... 51 Shaping the Research .................................................................................................. 55 Method ......................................................................................................................... 56 Archival Research ............................................................................................... 57 Document Analysis ............................................................................................. 60 Individual Interviews .......................................................................................... 61 Group Interviews and Discussions ...................................................................... 63 Participant Observation and Reflection .............................................................. 63 Case Study Development .................................................................................... 68 Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 69 What is Patchwork?............................................................................................. 71 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 74 Chapter Four: The South Coast Labour Council (SCLC) ............................................... 75 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 75 History of the SCLC .................................................................................................... 75 SCLC 1896–1925 ................................................................................................ 76 SCLC 1926-1945 ................................................................................................ 79 SCLC 1946–1976 ................................................................................................ 85 A Note on Gender Awareness ..................................................................................... 99 Chapter Five: Analysis of the SCLC ............................................................................. 100 iii Introduction ............................................................................................................... 100 Class-Based Analysis ................................................................................................ 100 Dimensions of Peak Union Agency .......................................................................... 105 Agent of Mobilisation ....................................................................................... 105 Agent of External Exchange ............................................................................. 108 Agent of Regulation .......................................................................................... 112 Safe Space ................................................................................................................. 119 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 119 Gender Note ...................................................................................................... 121 Chapter Six: SCLC and Women on the „Inside‟ ........................................................... 124 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 124 Sally Bowen (1918–1999) ......................................................................................... 127 SCLC Women Delegates ........................................................................................... 132 Peggy Errey (1914–2002).......................................................................................... 134 International Women‟s Day (IWD) ........................................................................... 138 International Women‟s Year (IWY) .......................................................................... 139 The Conspiracy Boutique .................................................................................. 141 The Spot Café .................................................................................................... 146 The Chicken Shop ............................................................................................. 147 Wollongong Working Women's Charter Committee (WWWCC) ............................ 150 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 154 Chapter Seven: Women‟s Liberation and the WWIC ................................................... 157 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 157 1970–1975 ................................................................................................................. 157 1976–1977 ................................................................................................................. 161 1978–1980 ................................................................................................................. 161 Free Judith Mitchell Campaign ......................................................................... 162 iv Wollongong Women‟s Collective (WWC) ....................................................... 165 First IWD March ............................................................................................... 169 WWWCC Revisited .................................................................................................