Australia Labour Movement and a Fight for a 'Fair Go'
The 1890s were dominated by class conflict. The end of the long economic boom that had sustained Australia's rise and prosperity for many settlers since the gold strikes of the early 1850s resulted in a market collapse that tore at the social fabric and fractured the unity of colonial society.
The Australian Labor Party was formed in the 1890s. The great workers' strikes of the early 1880s had been resolved in the employers' favour with the assistance of government, police and soldiers. In the aftermath of these strikes, the labour movement agreed that the best thing to do for workers was to form an electoral party, take government and change the laws to make them fairer for everyone.
Another direct response to workers' rights was a movement for federating the colonies into an independent and united nation. This had first been suggested in the 1840s, and recurred at different times in the decades that followed, but never got beyond debate and argument in different colonial parliaments. Now, however, there seemed to have been a heightened emotional need for the recognition of a new nation.
(Source: www.myplace.edu.au)
The Australian Labor Party was formed in the 1890s. The great workers' strikes of the early 1880s had been resolved in the employers' favour with the assistance of government, police and soldiers. In the aftermath of these strikes, the labour movement agreed that the best thing to do for workers was to form an electoral party, take government and change the laws to make them fairer for everyone.
Another direct response to workers' rights was a movement for federating the colonies into an independent and united nation. This had first been suggested in the 1840s, and recurred at different times in the decades that followed, but never got beyond debate and argument in different colonial parliaments. Now, however, there seemed to have been a heightened emotional need for the recognition of a new nation.
(Source: www.myplace.edu.au)
Formation of Trade Unions in Australia
Unions (trade unions) in Australia formed in the nineteenth century as workers associations, which aimed to improve the poor working conditions of workers such as convicts and miners. Unions use a number of strategies such as strikes, collective bargaining with employers, legal challenges and advertising campaigns to try to maintain and improve members' working conditions, such as their pay and entitlements.
The period between the 1870s and 1890s was a turbulent time for the trade union movement in the colonies. |
Legalisation of trade unions in Australia
Throughout the 19th century, the colonies were influenced by social and political trends in Britain. Concern over the industrial unrest in England prompted the Master and Servants Act 1828 to be enacted in New South Wales. Biased in favour of the employers, this Act made it possible for masters to imprison a servant and withhold his or her wages, if that servant damaged property or refused to work.
Influenced by the political and industrial movements which were prevalent in Britain at the time, settlers in the colonies responded to adverse working conditions by staging protests and strikes. From the late 1820s onwards, free settlers also began to form trade unions in the colonies. By the 1850s, some of these trade unions had begun to achieve success in their campaign for better pay and conditions for their workers. The 1856 eight-hour day movement formed by the Stonemasons, which reduced the working week from 60 to 48 hours for all trades in the building industry, is particularly noteworthy.
Throughout the 19th century, the colonies were influenced by social and political trends in Britain. Concern over the industrial unrest in England prompted the Master and Servants Act 1828 to be enacted in New South Wales. Biased in favour of the employers, this Act made it possible for masters to imprison a servant and withhold his or her wages, if that servant damaged property or refused to work.
Influenced by the political and industrial movements which were prevalent in Britain at the time, settlers in the colonies responded to adverse working conditions by staging protests and strikes. From the late 1820s onwards, free settlers also began to form trade unions in the colonies. By the 1850s, some of these trade unions had begun to achieve success in their campaign for better pay and conditions for their workers. The 1856 eight-hour day movement formed by the Stonemasons, which reduced the working week from 60 to 48 hours for all trades in the building industry, is particularly noteworthy.
Strikes of the 1890sBy 1890, the number of trade unions had increased to around 1400, comprising 200 000 members. This growth, however, was unsustainable. The 1890s marked the beginning of a period of severe economic depression in Australia, which caused membership to decline. A number of unions even ceased to operate. The 1890s also marked the beginning of a period of frequent industrial action. The most significant industrial action of this period was the maritime strike of 1890. The strike erupted in response to employers (who feared a loss of control over employees) refusing to allow maritime officers to affiliate with the Melbourne Trades Hall Council. At the same time, unions were demanding that employers adhere to a closed shop policy, which prohibited employers from hiring anyone other than members. This policy was in direct conflict with the employers' freedom of contract principles. The maritime strike not only involved maritime workers, but was also supported by miners who refused to produce coal to power the ships. Shearers also refused to provide any wool for exportation. The following year, shearers launched their own six-month-long strike, which began in Queensland. The 1891 shearers strike was in response to a cut in union labour and employment of non-union labour. |
While the unionists lost both major strikes, change was under way. In 1891 a New South Wales royal commission into strikes recommended the establishment of the Board of Conciliation and Arbitration. The Conciliation and Arbitration Court was eventually established by the federal government in 1904 to resolve disagreements between employers and employees.
The repercussions of those strikes were significant. While the unrest of the 1890s challenged the view of Australia being a 'working man's paradise,' it facilitated the rise of the Australian Labor Party. The defeat of the unions caused members to turn their attention to instigating legislative changes. It was also during this period that an increasing sense of nationalism began to emerge among the people. This is reflected in the vast array of nationalist literature, artwork and music that was being produced around that time. (Source: http://www.skwirk.com/) |
Watch the clip from 'Australia; The Story of Us' to learn more.
After the long gold boom comes the crash of the 1890s and the start of a vicious class war that threatens to rip Australia apart. Wool trader George Maiden battles to get his client’s wool to London during a maritime strike. On the other side, labourer Fred Townsend fights in the street for fair wages and conditions. Australia will pioneer a system that compels workers and employers to come together to settle disputes. In 1901, we found the Australian nation on the principle of Fair Go – but not for everyone. |
Skip to 33.40 mins to learn more about the 'Fair Go'
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Formation of the Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party was formed in the 1890s by trade unions seeking a political voice and an increase of influence in government after the failure of the shearers and maritime strikes.
Recognised as the oldest political party in Australia, Labor formed its first government in Queensland in 1899, two years before federation. (Source: http://www.parliament.curriculum.edu.au/) The Australian Labor Party
In August 1890, the first general council of the Australian Labor Federation convened in Brisbane and drafted a parliamentary platform. By March 1891, the first Labor electoral league in NSW was set up in the Sydney suburb of Balmain, and soon other leagues were being set up in nearby industrial suburbs. A political platform was agreed upon, which included an 8-hour day as the maximum working day for anyone in any industry, elected magistrates, support for the Federation of Australasian colonies, and parliamentary recognition of the entire (non-Indigenous) community's right to the land. In elections that year, Labor candidates clearly struck a chord with the electorate and met with immediate success. In June 1891, 34 members of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) were elected to the Legislative Assembly of NSW. In December 1899, the first Labor party government was formed in Queensland under the premiership of Andrew Dawson. The government only lasted six days, but it was the first Labor government seen anywhere in the world. (http://www.myplace.edu.au/) |
Eight hour day: work, rest and play
In 1856, stonemasons in Melbourne stopped work to march in support of an eight hour day. At the time many people worked up to 14 hours each day, six-days a week.
Their rallying cry was eight hours work, eight hours recreation and eight hours rest. The stonemasons, mostly from England, were highly skilled and much in demand as Melbourne grew rapidly. They argued that the harsh Australian climate required shorter working hours. It was also a time of increased education, and the stonemasons thought that working men needed time to develop their minds. Last, but not least, they wanted time for recreation and games. In 1856, the stonemasons won the right to an eight hour work day and 48-hour working week – this entitled them to Saturday afternoons off. As this spread throughout the workforce, it enabled sporting codes to set up Saturday afternoon matches and contributed to the development of sports like Australian Rules Football and rugby. The 48-hour week was common until the 40 hour week became standard in 1947. By 1983, the 38 hour week had become the standard. Melbourne stonemasons winning the 48 hour week by is considered to be the start of the eight hour day in Australia. (Source: http://worksite.actu.org.au/) |
1890s Great Strikes
As the craft union movement broadened, less skilled and rural workers began to organise. Three great strikes convulsed the continent of Australia in this period: the 1890 maritime strike; the 1891 shearers' strike; the 1892 Broken Hill miners' strike; and the 1894 shearers' strike. When a large number of sheep shearers in Queensland struck against poor conditions and wages that were being lowered, the Queensland police responded with violence and broke up the strike. Each of these industrial conflicts was seen as a demoralising blow for the labour movement. William Lane and many others sought refuge in building a new society called New Australia in Paraguay. Others in the labour movement, demoralised with direct action, turned to a political solution and sought election to parliaments using manhood suffrage, thus resulting in the formation of the Australian Labor Party. (Source: Wikipedia)
1891 Shearers' StrikeThe 1891 shearers' strike is one of Australia's earliest and most important industrial disputes and was one of the first big industrial disputes in Australia.
Working conditions for sheep shearers in 19th century Australia were not good. In 1891 wool was one of Australia's largest industries. But as the wool industry grew, so did the number and influence of shearers. The strike centred on the town of Barcaldine in rural Queensland. The pastoralists wanted to pay lower wages to shearers by using non-union workers. The unions said no and organised a strike. The government used soldiers and special constables to bring in non-union workers to work at low rates. Both sides of the dispute threatened violence and there was widespread fear that there would be a bloody outcome. Many union shearers were outraged when Logan Downs Station Manager Charles Fairbain asked the shearers to sign a contract that would reduce the power of their union. Click here to read more about the Shearers' Strike
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On 5 January 1891 the shearers announced a strike until the following demands for a contract were met:
The union leaders were arrested and sent to prison. After which the strike collapsed. But that was not the end of the story. Stirred by the events, the shearers union saw the need to get involved in politics. They formed the Australian Labor Party and in just a few years had representatives in the Queensland parliament. (Source: Wikipedia and http://worksite.actu.org.au/) |