Donovan Glass - Unions Relevancy in Todays Society
Donovan Glass - Unions Relevancy in Todays Society and Their History
Following the lead of Britain from where many of the original settlers came, workers in various occupations banded together to form unions. Shipwriters, boatbuilders, tailors, bakers and carpeteners were among the first craft unions form in Australia before 1848.
By forming an association workers could obtain better wages and working conditions. However the employers wanted the highest profit margins so wished to keep wages low and spend little money on the working environment. The law of supply and demand in the labour market often determined which group was dominant.
A third factor in the balance in Australia was the government. A successful strike by newspaper workers in 1829 for better wages and conditions resulted in the Masters and Servants Act being implemented which discriminated against the workers, who could be gaoled for minor revolts.
Early in the colony, skilled labours were in short supply but in the 1840's after active promotion of emigrants by Britain this improved and a depression forced wages down and jobs were lost. With the discovery of gold, prices and wages rose, labour was scare and licenses imposed on miners and the Eureka incident occurred. Bust and boom economic conditions parolled surges recessions for unionism over the next few decades.
The industrial union formed in the 1880's as a grouping of workers within an industry and across colonial and the Shearers Union and small bush wokrers unions becme the Australian Workers Union. Unions then looked to represent workers in Governments and the 1890's major strikes were held and the Labour Party was formed.
With coming of Federation compulsory arbitration - settling of disputes between employer and employee by a third party - encouraged unionism, with unions representing the workers. The labour market and demand for goods has been influenced by workd wars, depressions and recessions. In the 1980's 'national reconciliation' initiated by the Government, aimed at resolving some of the conflict between workers and employers.
Strong leaders among workers of various occupations over the last two centuries, have been gaoled, sometimes killed, starved, abused, seen their families suffer for better working conditions.
At the beginning of the industrial revolution, employers knew their workers and felt responsible for them. After the industrial revolution gained momentum they employed more people and lost empathy for their staff.
Working conditions were 12 - 14 hours, without breaks, child labour was employed, accidents were rife and wages were...