Browse Entries

Trade Union entry Amalgamated Engineering Union, Australian Section (1921 - 1938)

  • Click to view details about this Image

    Chart 15: Trade Unions - Manufacturing - Metals and Food
    Details

From
1921
To
1938
Functions
Trade Union (Federal)
Reference No
Deregistered [was 004V]

Summary

Established in 1851, the original Amalgamated Engineering Union was merely a branch of the British union. Registered for the first time in 1905, under the new Commonwealth industrial relations laws, this union became known as the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. In 1921 the union changed its name to the Amalgamated Engineering Union, Australian Section to more accurately reflect its association with the British Amalgamated Engineering Union. Although this newly named union was deregistered in February 1938, another union, the Amalgamated Engineering Union (Australian Section), was formed later that year to take its place. This union remained the Australian division of the British Amalgamated Engineering Union until 1969 when it became autonomous, shortening its name to the Amalgamated Engineering Union [AEU] to reflect this. In mid-June 1972 the AEU began a series of amalgamations with the Sheet Metal Workers, Blacksmiths and Boilermakers and Federated Jewellers so that by 1973 the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union had been formed. Further amalgamations in 1976 with the Federated Shipwrights' and the Federated Moulders' (Metals) Union in 1983 changed the focus and the name of the union but by 1985 it had become known once again as the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union. A 1991 amalgamation with the Association of Draughting Supervisory & Technical Employees' created the Metals & Engineering Workers' Union. Two years later a further amalgamation with the Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation of Australia resulted in the Automotive Metals & Engineering Union. Finally in 1994 this union merged with the Confectionery Workers' & Food Preservers' Union to form the Automotive Food Metals & Engineering Union.

Timeline

 1905 - 1921 Amalgamated Society of Engineers
       1921 - 1938 Amalgamated Engineering Union, Australian Section

Archival resources

Broken Hill City Library, Outback Archives

  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Barrier Branch - Records, 1880 - 1938, 88/6; Broken Hill City Library, Outback Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Broken Hill Branch - Records, 1898 - 1980, 88/7; Broken Hill City Library, Outback Archives. Details

James Cook University of North Queensland, Library Archives

  • Amalgamated Metal Workers' & Shipwrights' Union Collection, 1894 - 1984, 38; James Cook University of North Queensland, Library Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Metal Workers Union - Minutes, 1894 - 1968, 6R-7R; James Cook University of North Queensland, Library Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Metal Workers Union - Minutes, 1915 - 1968, 6R, 7L, 7R; James Cook University of North Queensland, Library Archives. Details

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

  • Interview with Alan Wilson, unionist, member of Council of Amalgamated Engineering Union - interviewer, Gilbert Stead, 1980, ORAL TRC 2638; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program

  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1875 - 1973, E185; E222; E234; E107; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1852 - 1983, E140; M24; N24 (pt); E157; P109; Z102 (pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1852 - 1975, E209; E162; E221; Z102; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1914 - 1968, E157 (pt); E220; Z102 (pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1894 - 1968, E157 (pt); T61; Z102 (pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1880 - 1975, Z240; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1881 - 1983, N131; Z446; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1911 - 1972, Z161; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1892 - 1973, Z63; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1905 - 1968, E227; E157 (pt); Z102 (pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Everleigh Loco Combined Unions Shop Stewards Committee - Records, 1940 - 1988, Z305; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • H.R. Edwards Papers, 1917 - 1958, P108; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Jack Davison Papers, 1891 - 1974, P117; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details

State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana

  • Amalgamated Metal Workers Union - Records, 1899 - , SRG 153; State Library of South Australia, Mortlock Library of South Australiana. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

  • A.C. Williams Papers, 1880 - 1970, 1977.0085; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1883 - 1970, 1974.0027; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Bendigo Branch - Records, 1865 - 1966, 1980.0133; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Bendigo Branch - Records, 1865 - 1949, 1978.0061; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Bendigo No. 2 Branch - Records, 1926 - 1956, 1980.0131; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Castlemaine Branch - Records, 1916 - 1968, 1983.0122; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Castlemaine Branch - Records, 1911 - 1958, 1978.0060; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Melbourne District Committee - Records, 1883 - 1972, 1988.0140; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Melbourne District Committee - Records, 1936 - 1937, 1991.0029; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Melbourne District Committee - Records, 1932 - 1972, 1987.0116; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Northcote Branch - Records, 1924 - 1967, 1983.0123; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Engineering Union, Retired Members' Association, Victorian Branch - Records, 1935 - 1961, 1993.0076; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union, Victorian Branch - Records, 1876 - 1988, 1995.0096; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Amalgamated Metal, Foundry & Shipwrights Union - Records, 1912 - 1979, 1983.0077; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

University of Wollongong Archives

  • Amalgamated Engineering Union - Rules of the Australian Section, 1943, A55; University of Wollongong Archives. Details

Published resources

Books

  • Sheridan, T., Mindful militants: the Amalgamated Engineering Union in Australia 1920-1972, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1975, 329 pp. Details

Edited Books

  • Murphy, D.J. (ed.), The Big Strikes, Queensland 1889-1965, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, Queensland, 1983, 303 pp. Details

Journal Articles

  • Cockfield, Sandra, 'McKay's harvester works and the continuation of managerial control', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 40, no. 3, 1998, pp. 383-400. Details
  • Hutson, J., 'The Amalgamated Engineering Union and Arbitration in the 1920s', Labour History, vol. 14, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1968, pp. 50-53. Details
  • Nyland, Chris, 'Worktime in the 1920s', Australian Economic History Review, vol. 2, 1987, pp. 37-55. Details
  • Sheridan, Tom, 'The Amalgamated Engineering Union', Labour History, vol. 17, 1971, pp. 52-66. Details
  • Sheridan, Tom, 'Labour v. Labor: The Victorian metal trades Dispute of 1946-47', Labour History, vol. 24, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1973, pp. 176-225. Details
  • Sheridan, Tom, 'Democracy Among the Aristocrats: Participation of Members in the Affairs of the AEU (Australian Section) 1900-72', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 21, no. 2, 1979, pp. 161-183. Details
  • Sheridan, Tom, 'Opposition, factions and candidates in AEU elections in Australia, 1907-1972', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 22, September, 1980, pp. 134-168. Details

Online Resources

Digital resources

Title
Chart 15: Trade Unions - Manufacturing - Metals and Food
Type
Image

Details

Bruce A. Smith