Employer Body entry Commonwealth Council of Federated Unions (1923 - 1927)

Summary

The Commonwealth Council of Federated Unions [CCFU] was founded at a Melbourne Conference of Commonwealth registered unions held in February 1923, and was established as an advisory body. Its functions were limited to dealing with issues that arose from the administration of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act and other federal legislation involving wages, hours of labour and employment conditions for members of federal organisations. It was not to interfere with the affairs of the States Trades and Labor Councils and individual unions. The CCFU was based largely in Victoria with C.A. Crofts (Federated Gas Employees' Industrial Union) as Secretary and H.G. Gibson (Federated Engine Drivers and Firemens' Association of Australia) as the first President.

The main issues of concern to the CCFU were, firstly, to organise opposition to attempts by employer organisations to have the Basic Wage reduced. Secondly, to conduct a campaign for the restoration of the 44 hour week where it had been withdrawn, and lastly to establish the principle as a standard in all industries. By 1926 the CCFU had about 60 affiliates that represented 300 000 unionists.

However, as a result of its inefficient handling of the Basic Wage review case, and due to its rejection of the State Labour Councils' proposals to be agents of the Federal structure, the CCFU was superseded by a new Australasian body the Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) in 1927.

The beginnings of the ACTU can be traced to a Trade Union Congress held in the Melbourne Trades Hall Council on 3 May 1927. The meeting was convened to 'consider the possibility of creating a representative body for the whole trade union movement in Australia.' The Congress elected a Committee of seven which produced a report including a proposed constitution for a new body named the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, which was accepted with two minor amendments on 7 May 1927. The name was changed to the Australian Council of Trade Unions at the 1947 Congress.

Related entries

Timeline

 1923 - 1927 Commonwealth Council of Federated Unions
       1927 - 1947 Australasian Council of Trade Unions
             1947 - 1979 Australian Council of Trade Unions (i)
                   1979 - 1981 Australian Council of Trade Unions (ii)
                         1981 - Australian Council of Trade Unions (iii)

Archival resources

The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program

• Australian Council of Trade Unions - Records, 1906 - 1989, N21; N58; N68; Z282; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details

Published resources

Books

• Hagan, James, The ACTU: a short history on the occasion of the 50th anniversary 1927-1977, A.H. and A.W.Reed Pty Ltd, Sydney, 1977, 95 pp. Details
• Hagan, James, The History of the A.C.T.U., Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1981, 476 pp. Details

Book Sections

• Hagan, James, 'Unions: Context and Perspective 1850-1980', in Ford, Bill and Plowman, David (eds), Australian Unions: an Industrial Perspective, 1983, pp. 30-58. Details

Journal Articles

• Donn, Clifford B., 'Founding of the ACTU: Origins of a Central Trade Union Federation', Journal of Industrial Relations, vol. 19, no. 4, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1977, pp. 404-423. Details

Online Resources

• 'Chart 1: Peak National Councils - Trade Unions', in Parties to the Award, 2002, http://www.atua.org.au/ptta/021.html. Details