Browse Entries

Trade Union entry Seamens Union of Australia (i) (1943 - 1983)

  • Click to view details about this Image

    Chart 16: Trade Unions - Maritime and Stevedoring
    Details

From
1943
To
1983
Functions
Trade Union (Federal)
Reference No
182V

Summary

The history of the Seamen's Union of Australia dates loosely back to 1874 and the formation of the Sydney Seamen's Union and the Melbourne Seamen's Union. When these unions amalgamated just two years later in 1876 they formed the Federated Seamen's Union of Australia. Registered under the Commonwealth's industrial relations legislation in 1906 this union was deregistered just nineteen years later, although many of its members went on to form the Seamen's Union of Australasia in 1930, which became the Seamen's Union of Australia in 1943. Despite amalgamations with the Marine Cooks' Bakers' & Butchers' Association of Australia in 1983, the Federated Marine Stewards' & Pantrymen's Association of Australasia in 1988 and the Professional Divers' Association in 1991, it remained the Seamen's Union of Australia until 1991 when it amalgamated with the Waterside Workers' Federation to form the Maritime Union of Australia.

Timeline

 1930 - 1943 Seamens Union of Australasia
       1943 - 1983 Seamens Union of Australia (i)
             1983 - 1988 Seamens Union of Australia (ii)
                   1988 - 1991 Seamens Union of Australia (iii)
                         1991 - 1993 Seamens Union of Australia (iv)
                               1993 - Maritime Union of Australia

Archival resources

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

  • Seamen's Union of Australasia, Newcastle - Records, 1945 - 1975, A5148-A5156 & B5625-B5653; Archives Rare Books and Special Collections Unit, Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle. Details

John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland

  • J Howarth Union Ticket Book 1928-1944, 1928 - 1944, OM90-71; John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland. Details

Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales

  • Records, 1951 - 1952, A1646; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection

  • Indian Seamen's Union of Australia - Records 1920-1960 [microform], 1920 - 1960, MFM G 21027 - 21019; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Papers of Guido Baracchi, 1882-1970, 1882 - 1970, MS 5241; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Thomas Walsh and Adela Pankhurst Walsh papers, 1905-1961, 1905 - 1961, MS 2123; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details
  • Thomas Walsh and Adela Pankhurst Walsh papers, 1905-1961 [microform], 1905 - 1961, MFM G 22829 - G 22867; National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection. Details

The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program

  • John Benson Papers, 1967 - 1989, Z426; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, 1921 - 1989, E198; P92; Z467; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, 1888 - 1945, Z493; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, 1876 - 1988, E183; N38; Z129; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, Z91; E183(pt); The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, c. 1900 - 1984, Z263; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, 1956 - 1984, Z435; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details
  • Seamens Union of Australia - Records, 1962 - 1982, Z246; The Noel Butlin Archives Centre, ANU Archives Program. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

  • Kevin Hince Collection, 1959 - 1977, 1994.0147; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
  • Seamen's Union of Australia - Records, 1916 - 1986, 1987.0125; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

University of Wollongong Archives

  • Elliot Vans Elliot Collection - Seamens' Union of Australia, Communist Party of Australia, Socialist Party of Australia, 1930 - 1982, D170; University of Wollongong Archives. Details
  • 'Free Indonesia!' by E.V. Elliot, 1946, A590; University of Wollongong Archives. Details
  • Seamen's union annual report, 1952, A646; University of Wollongong Archives. Details
  • Seamen's Union of Australia - Annual Report, 1948 - 1953, A635; University of Wollongong Archives. Details
  • Seamen's Union of Australia (SUA) 1948-78 - Records, 1948 - 1978, C44; University of Wollongong Archives. Details

Published resources

Books

  • Fitzpatrick, B., Draft History of the Seamen's Union, 6-10 pp. Details
  • Fitzpatrick, Brian and Cahill, Rowan J., Seamen's Union of Australia, 1872-1972: A History, Seamens' Union of Australia, Sydney, 1981, 363 pp. Details
  • Lockwood, Rupert, Black Armada, Australasian Book Society, Sydney, 1975, 352 pp. Details

Journal Articles

  • Curthoys, A., 'Conflict and Consensus', Labour History, vol. 35, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1978, pp. 48-65. Details
  • Markey, Ray, 'Populist Politics', Labour History, vol. 35, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1978, pp. 66-79. Details

Online Resources

Digital resources

Title
Chart 16: Trade Unions - Maritime and Stevedoring
Type
Image

Details

Bruce A. Smith