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 language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 16-36 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Hummer |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- strikes and lockouts
- labor disputes
- farmers
- Australian Workers’ Union
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- history