Union History Blog
Remembering William Cooper
March 23, 2023
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Readers are advised that this page does include images of…
Laurie Carmichael – a legendary unionist
July 26, 2022
A guest post by Ted Clayton. Ted is the author of an award-winning thesis in…
60th Anniversary of the Labour History Society
Guest post by Bobbie Oliver (Federal Vice President ASSLH; President of Perth Branch, ASSLH).2022 marks…
The first Sydney Mardi Gras – and the hidden history of LGBTIQA+ unionists!
June 22, 2022
On Friday 24 June we celebrate the anniversary of the first Sydney Mardi Gras, which…
Tribute to Tom McDonald: a lifetime winning for workers
May 24, 2022
‘When it comes to the living standards of working people I know this: without Tom…
The origins of May Day
April 27, 2022
The first of May has long been a day of celebration for the international workers’…
21 April 1856 – Melbourne Stonemason’s take action for the 8-Hour Day
April 14, 2022
On 21 April in 1856, building workers in Melbourne took strike action and won the…
MUA: Here to Stay! The 1998 Waterfront Dispute
April 1, 2022
In April of 1998, the Patrick Stevedores corporation sacked all of its stevedoring workers in…
The power of union learning: a snapshot from the ‘70s
March 30, 2022
A guest post by Alice Garner. In 1977, hundreds of shop stewards, from every corner…
Australian unions win maternity leave – 1979
March 7, 2022
Trade unions have a long and proud history of campaigning for parental leave to support…