Rural mobilsation : farmers, wheatlumpers and industrial conflict in NSW and Victoria, 1908 to the 1917 General Strike

Warwick Eather, Drew Cottle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Unskilled workers in rural New South Wales and Victoria formed a number of unions in the first decade after federation. By mid-1910 these unions had amalgamated to form the Rural Workers’ Union. Three years later the union was absorbed by the Australian Workers’ Union. Commencing in late 1909 the unions compiled logs of claims for improved wages and conditions, and commenced industrial campaigns in support of their claims. Their strike action alarmed farmers in NSW and Victoria. In response, the NSW based Farmers and Settlers’ Association, in early 1914, assembled 3,000 farmers to break strikes and threatened to use them prior the outbreak of war. During the early war years NSW and Victorian farmers continually broke strikes in the bush waged by wheatlumpers, members of the RWU/AWU. Farmers became experienced strikebreakers. They mobilised en masse in August 1917 and broke the General Strike.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)16-36
Number of pages21
JournalHummer
Volume14
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • strikes and lockouts
  • labor disputes
  • farmers
  • Australian Workers’ Union
  • New South Wales
  • Victoria
  • history

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