Union History Blog
The ACTU backs Noonkanbah protests
August 12, 2021
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following post may contain…
From the archives – the ACTU’s 60th birthday
July 26, 2021
At its 1987 Congress, the ACTU celebrated its 60th birthday. Alongside union leaders such as…
1971 day of protest for retired workers
July 20, 2021
On the 21st of July we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the ACTU’s 1971 Social…
The 1976 strike to defend universal healthcare
July 9, 2021
Did you know that in 1976 the union movement led one of the largest strikes…
Australia’s unions v. Frank Sinatra
July 9, 2021
Did you ever hear about the time that Frank Sinatra, one of the most famous…
The history of the minimum wage
June 30, 2021
Where was the first place in the world to introduce a minimum wage? In the…
The 1978 Mardi Gras
June 18, 2021
The 1970s were a really tough time for LGBTIQA+ people in Australia. To be honest…
How unions helped build Superannuation
June 18, 2021
Why are unions so insistent on defending superannuation – and why are some right-wing politicians…
The 1957 Palm Island strike
June 9, 2021
In June, 1957, seven Indigenous men and their families on Palm Island were arrested at…
The 1891 Shearers’ Strike
May 20, 2021
This week we remember the Shearers’ Strike of 1891, a defining moment for the labour…