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Women in trade unions

Introduction

In addition to the below trade unions and professional associations, we hold records of a number of trade unions that historically had a large number of female members and include various papers relating to women in trade unions, including:

Z219 - Australian Education Union, 1944-1998

Z483 - Australian Education Union South Australian Branch 

Z517 - Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women, 1947-1994

N253 - Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women Victorian Division, 1975-2004

N240 - Australian Federation of Medical Women, 1932-1990

N297 - Business and Professional Women's Club of Canberra, 1954-1991

E138 - Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia Federal Office and Branches, 1870-1959

N84Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia Federal Office and Branches, 1871-1984

Z308Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia Federal Office and Branches, 1866-1992

T26Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia Federal Office, 1924-1992

E108 - Clothing and Allied Trades Union South Australian Branch, 1908-1960

E193 - Clothing and Allied Trades Union South Australian Branch, 1928-1972

N15 - Clothing and Allied Trades Union South Australian Branch, 1914-1977

Z414Clothing and Allied Trades Union South Australian Branch, 1945-1991

Z639 - Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union, 1914-2004

Z665Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union, 1906-2000

Z769Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union, 1909-2005

Z236 - Union of Australian Women Federal Office, 1955-1993

N96 - Union of Australian Women New South Wales Branch, 1965-1988

Z451 - Union of Australian Women New South Wales Branch, 1965-1991

Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)

Please note that Archives staff will need to request permission from the depositor before giving access.

N58/524Women in trade unions, 1975-1977

N58/788Women in trade unions, 1978-1979

N68/672 - Women workers and trade unions, 1966 

N68/1326 - Australian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Club’s report of the 11th conference, Canberra, Oct 1958 

N68/1299 - Industrial Officer Len Schurr’s file – Women, 1978-1979 

N68/1329 - Equal Work - Equal Pay: Social Justice for Women, Equal Pay Committee of the Labor Council of NSW, Sydney, c. 1950s 

N147/13 - ACTU Executive meeting Feb 1977, Brisbane – correspondence and working papers re women (N147/13)

N147/261 - National Labour Advisory Council – Women’s Employment Committee, 1971-1972 (N147/261)

N147/262 - National Labour Advisory Council – Women’s Employment Committee, c. 1972 (N147/262)

N147/584 - Women’s Committee, 1908-1983 

Community and Public Sector Unions

Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations

Z140 - Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations, 1961-1979

E215 - 

N23 - Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations Victorian Division, 1960-1980

 

Bank Officials’ Association, Federal Office and Victorian Branch deposit

A2/37/2 - ABOA Minutes for members of the Executive and Branch Secretaries detailing new rates of pay for women Bank staff in accordance with the judgment of the Industrial Commission, Nov 1928 

A2/48/2/7 - Circular letter sent to women staff concerning the agreement between BOA and Bank of NSW, and a list of women Bank employees in Victoria, 1937 

A2/59 - Transcript of Case relating to Women’s Employment in Banks, 1944-1945 

Education unions

Australian Education Union South Australian Branch

Z483/Box 21 - South Australian Institute of Technology, Status of Women – Miscellaneous associations, 1970-1979 

Z483/Boxes 26. 33, 45, 60, 77, 93 and 103 - South Australian Institute of Technology, Status of Women – Miscellaneous, no date 

Z483/Boxes 66, 83 and 98 - Australian Teachers’ Federation – Women, no date 

Z483/Box 106 -Committees – Status of Women, 1976-1983 

Z483/Box 117 - Australian Teachers’ Federation Women’s Conferences, 1985-1986 

Z483/Box 121 - Australian Teachers’ Federation Women’s Conferences, 1987-1989 

Z483/Box 121 - Australian Teachers’ Federation Women’s Officer, no date 

Z483/Box 136 - Membership – Education – Women’s Courses, no date

Z483/Box 136 - Migrant Women’s Lobby Group, no date

Z483/Box 136 - National agenda for Women’s Conference, no date

Z483/Box 136 - National Council of Women, no date

Z483/Box 152 - Women against Racism, no date

Z483/Box 152 - Women and Girls in Education Committee, no date

Z483/Box 152 - Women and Unions Women’s Conference, 1986

Z483/Box 152 - Women’s Advisory Research Group, no date

Z483/Box 152 - Women’s Services Network Coordination Advisory Committee, no date

Z483/Box 152 - Women’s Services Working Party, no date

Z483/Box 161 - Status of Women Committee, 1988-1991 

Z483/Box 207 - Status of Women Committee, 1992-1994 

Z483/Box 218 - Status of Women Committee, 1995-1999 

Z483/Box 233 - Australian Women’s Education Coalition, 1986-1996 

 

South Australian Institute of Teachers 

N91/792 - Women Teachers’ Guild correspondence, 1937-1951 

N91/796 - High School Women Teachers’ Association / High School Senior Mistresses and Assistants’ Association minutes, 1943-1964 

N91/369 - High School Women Assistants’ Association subject file, 1967-1970 

N91/420 - National Council of Women, 1954 and 1966-1970 

N91/453 - Primary Women Teachers’ Association subject file, 1964-1972 

N91/714 - Technical Schools Women’s Associations, 1951-1952 and 1964-1973 

 

Health organisations

Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad (APHEDA)

N346/324Philippines - ACFOA/APHEDA Administration Training Women Unionists Manila, 1985-1987

Manufacturing unions

Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union

Z102/Box 184 - Registration book – Women and girls, 1940-1941 

Z102/Box 523 - AEU Women’s Conference – Report of Proceedings, 1941-1957 

Z102/Box 547 - 15th Annual Metalworkers’ Federation Asian Youth & Women’s Symposium, 1982 

Z102/Box 556 - International Union of Food and Allied Workers’ Association – includes Conference on Women Workers’ Issues, 1983 

Z102/Box 625 - AMWSU Women’s Conference – minutes and correspondence, March 1978 

Z102/Box 625 - AMWSU Women’s Conference – correspondence and leaflets, March 1978 

Z102/Box 631 - Women’s Committee minute book, 1968 

Z102/Box 649 - Women’s movement – correspondence and printed material, 1979-1980 

Z102/Box 651 - Women – booklets, 1970-1980

Z102/Box 1004 - Women’s Conference, 1956

Z102/Box 1065 - National Women’s Committee, 1997-1998 

 

Clothing and Allied Trades Union South Australian Branch 

N15/83-88 - Equal Pay for Women Campaign: circulars, duplicated minutes and Proceedings of meetings re industrial tribunals, select documents and other papers, 1957-1963 

 

Federated Felt Hatting and Allied Trades Employees’ Union of Australia Federal Council 

N372/22 - Apprentice book, listed by employer (Includes a record of indenture for journeymen / women, 'items of interest’ and ‘issue of tickets’. Includes some correspondence (1942) and several membership tickets (1974-1980), 1932-1981 

 

Federated Felt Hatting and Allied Trades Employees' Union of Australia New South Wales Branch 

N368/24 - Membership contributions book - Ian Dixson, Kempsey - No. 2 Division – Females, 1974-1979 

 

Federated Furnishing Trade Society New South Wales Branch

T11/15/47 - Industrial Commission of NSW – Cabinetmakers’ State Award – file re women polishers, 1926-1927 

 

Federated Furnishing Trade Society South Australian Branch

N98/353 - TUTA Women Unionists’ Course, no date 

 

 

Metal workers' and engineering unions

Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union New South Wales Branch

N386/182“A handbook for women unionists: a helpful guide and source of information”, Union of Australian Women, 1975  

N386/154Women shop stewards, including minutes of Metal Workers Womens Committee and report of 1st Australian Women's Trade Union Conference, 1975-1979

 

Amalgamated Engineering Union Commonwealth Council

E140/5-24 - Membership proposition forms – women and girl workers, 1943-1958 

Printing unions

Printing and Kindred Industries Union Federal Office 

N69/459 - Copies of typed and printed documents on industrial matters (including Federal Awards and 10% restoration), amendments to rules (including representation of women and girls), 1927-1933 

 

Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia South Australian Branch

E92/1/10Minutes of committee meetings, South Australian Typographical Society, Sep – Dec 1916. Includes minutes of the Women and Girls’ Section.

E92/2/2Minutes of section meetings, Printing Industry Employees’ Union, South Australian Branch. Includes minutes of Women and Girls’ Section, 1916-1921

Other Trade Unions and Professional Associations

Australian Association of Scientific Workers New South Wales Division

E101A/14/21 - United Associations of Women circulars, 1943-1944 

E101A/8/19 - Correspondence, reports and printed material from subcommittees - Status of Women Employed in Science subcommittee, 1940-1942

 

Australian Government Workers' Association

E106/3/1-3/7Minutes of Adelaide Branch meetings including Women’s and Women Carriage Cleaners Sections, 1906-1947

 

Australian Hairdressers, Wigmakers and Hairworkers Employees' Union

E114/7/47Women in the public service, United Associations of Women, 1940s

 

Australian Timber Workers’ Union New South Wales Branch 

Z138/Box 204 - Australian Timber Workers Union, Federal Council: correspondence re communications, career structure for organisers and women in the Union, Jun 1988 

Z138/Box 212 - NSW Dept of Industrial Relations, Women’s Directorate, Report on Apprenticeship Program for Girls, 1978-1984; and The Way Ahead, 1985 

Z138/Box 213 - Women at work, ACTU Working Women’s Centre, Vol. 6, No. 4, Dec 1987 

 

Federated Engine Drivers' and Firemen's Association of New South Wales

N129/2520 - Women workers, 1981-1982 

N129/2077 - Union of Australian Women, 1983-1986 

N129/2145Women and work, 1982-1987

 

Industrial Relations Society of Australia

N243/3/39 - Women in Trade Unions, Carmel Wooden

N243/3/77 - Union of Australian Women News Sheet, April 1973

 

National Farmers' Federation

N143/554 - NESC submissions: National Council of Women of Australia, no date  

 

Unemployed People's Union Sydney Branch

N283/38 - Women, work, unions and unemployment, 1976-1979