Trade Union entry Australian Timber Workers Union (1918 - 1991)

Summary

Sawmill and timber yard employees had, since the turn of the last century, been covered by the Federated Saw Mill and Timber Yard Employees' Federation. However, it was the Federated Saw Mill Timber Yard & General Wood Workers Employees' Association, Victorian Branch that first gained federal registration in 1905. This was followed a year later by the Adelaide Branch. The federal division successfully sought registration in 1907. In 1913 this federal division changed its name to the Amalgamated Timber Workers' Union of Australia. Although this union was deregistered in 1918 its members quickly formed a new union: the Australian Timber Workers' Union. This new union extended coverage to workers in box and case factories, saw makers' shops, joiners' workshops, carpenters, implement workers and wood working machinists. In 1940 the union filed an application and succeeded in extending its coverage to most workers employed in the timber and wood industry including cabinet makers and furniture factories. In 1991 it amalgamated with the Pulp & Paper Workers' Federation of Australia to form the Australian Timber & Allied Industries Union. Later in the year another amalgamation with the Building Workers' Industrial Union of Australia created the ATAIU & BWIU Amalgamated Union. Further amalgamations eventually saw this union become part of the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union in 1993.

Related entries

Timeline

 1918 - 1991 Australian Timber Workers Union
       1991 Australian Timber & Allied Industries Union
             1991 - 1992 ATAIU & BWIU Amalgamated Union
                   1992 Construction Forestry & Mining Employees Union
                         1992 - 1993 Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (i)
                               1993 - Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (ii)

Archival resources

Archives Office of Tasmania

• Minutes, Membership Lists and Associated Records of the Australian Timber Workers Union, 1953 - 1956, NS773; Archives Office of Tasmania. Details

John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library

• Timber Worker articles by or relating to John Curtin, 1913 - 1915, JCPML00615/1-56; John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Details
• The Timber Worker, 1913 - 1930, 1913 - 1930, JCPML00256/1; John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library. Details

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

• Australian Timber Workers' Union - Records, 1927-1928, 1927 - 1928, ACC 267A; JS Battye Library of West Australian History, State Library of Western Australia. Details

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

• Joe Weir interviewed by Richard Raxworthy in the Labor Council of New South Wales oral history project, 1986, ORAL TRC 1948/25; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program

• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, 1907 - 1921, T34; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, 1911 - 1952, E124; Z526; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, 1912 - 1983, E130; Z120; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, c. 1937 - 1985, Z406; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, 1909 - 1990, N78; Z138; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
• Australian Timber Workers Union - Records, 1923 - 1984, Z168; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Australian Timber Workers' Union, No. 2 Victorian Branch - Records, 1905 - 1983, 1984.0060; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Online Resources

• 'Chart 7: Trade Unions - Building, Construction, Mining and Timber Industries', in Parties to the Award, 2002, http://www.atua.org.au/ptta/028.html. Details