Trade Union entry Amalgamated Engineering Union (1969 - 1973)

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.

Related entries

Timeline

 1938 - 1969 Amalgamated Engineering Union (Australian Section)
       1969 - 1973 Amalgamated Engineering Union
             1973 - 1976 Amalgamated Metal Workers Union (i)
                   1976 - 1983 Amalgamated Metal Workers & Shipwrights Union
                         1983 - 1985 Amalgamated Metals Foundry & Shipwrights Union
                               1985 - 1991 Amalgamated Metal Workers Union (ii)
                                     1991 - 1993 Metals & Engineering Workers Union
                                           1993 - 1994 Automotive Metals & Engineering Union
                                                 1994 - 1995 Automotive Food Metals & Engineering Union
                                                       1995 - Automotive Food Metals Engineering Printing & Kindred Industries Union

Archival resources

Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle

• Amalgamated Engineering Union, Maitland Branch - Records, 1938 - 1975, A6532-A6533; Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle. Details

Broken Hill City Library, Outback Archives

• 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
• Fred Thompson Papers, 1952 - 1976, 8L-16L; James Cook University of North Queensland, Library Archives. Details

JS Battye Library of West Australian History, State Library of Western Australia

• Amalgamated Engineering Union, Western Australian Branch - Clearance certificates, 1974, 1974, MN 1309; JS Battye Library of West Australian History, State Library of Western Australia. Details

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

• Alan Wilson - Notes, 1943-1971, 1943 - 1971, MS 2566; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program

• Amalgamated Engineering Union - Records, 1911 - 1972, Z161; 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, 1892 - 1973, Z63; 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, 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, 1875 - 1973, E185; E222; E234; E107; 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
• Gilbert Stead Papers, 1881 - 1988, Z88; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Jack Davison Papers, 1891 - 1974, P117; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Sheet Metal Working Agricultural Implement & Stove Making Industrial Union of Australia - Records, 1881 - 1975, T23; N33; E196 (pt); E206 (pt); E232; E245; E262 (pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Tom Wright Papers, 1926 - 1978, N33; 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, Melbourne District Committee - Records, 1932 - 1972, 1987.0116; 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, Sydney District Film Committee - Records, c. 1950 - c. 1960, 1977.0092; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union, Victorian Branch - Records, 1972 - 1980, 1987.0117; 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 Workers' Union, Victorian Branch - Records, 1959 - 1996, 2001.0038; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union, Victorian Branch - Records, 1940 - 1988, 2001.0046; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Amalgamated Metal, Foundry & Shipwrights Union - Records, 1912 - 1979, 1983.0077; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Kevin Hince Collection, 1959 - 1977, 1994.0147; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Stan Willis Papers, 1903 - 1979, 1980.0106; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

University of Wollongong Archives

• Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union - Wollongong Regional Office, 1943 - 1976, D43; University of Wollongong Archives. Details

Published resources

Books

• Hutson, J., Penal Colony to Penal Powers, Amalgamated Engineering Union, Sydney, 1966, 229 pp. Details
• Sheridan, T., Mindful militants: the Amalgamated Engineering Union in Australia 1920-1972, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1975, 329 pp. Details

Journal Articles

• Dixson, M., 'Stubborn Resistance: The Northern New South Wales Miners' Lockout of 1929-1930', Labour History, vol. 24, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1973, pp. 128-142. 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

• 'Chart 15: Trade Unions - Manufacturing - Metals and Food', in Parties to the Award, 2002, http://www.atua.org.au/ptta/036.html. Details