Trade Union entry Vehicle Builders Employees Federation of Australia (1938 - 1993)

Summary

While the industry can trace its origins to the coach-building workshops established in the 1850s, it was not until the late 1890s that a union was established. Initially known as the Coach-Makers' Society, it was registered in 1917 as the Australian Coach Motor Car Tram Car Waggon Builders Wheelwrights and Rolling Stock Makers Employees' Federation. In 1930 it was registered again as the Australian Coach Motor Car Tram Car Waggon Builders Wheelwrights & Air Craft Rolling Stock Makers Employees' Federation. In 1938 the union became known as the Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation until 1993 when it amalgamated with the Metals and Engineering Workers' Union to form the Automotive Metals and Engineering Union. From 1994, following an amalgamation with the Confectionery Workers' & Food Preservers' Union of Australia, it was known as the Automotive Food Metals and Engineering Union.

Related entries

Timeline

 1917 - 1930 Australian Coach Motor Car Tram Car Waggon Builders Wheelwrights & Rolling Stock Makers Employees Federation
       1930 - 1938 Australian Coach Motor Car Tram Car Waggon Builders Wheelwrights & Air Craft Rolling Stock Makers Employees Federation
             1938 - 1993 Vehicle Builders Employees Federation of Australia
                   1993 - 1994 Automotive Metals & Engineering Union
                         1994 - 1995 Automotive Food Metals & Engineering Union
                               1995 - Automotive Food Metals Engineering Printing & Kindred Industries Union

Archival resources

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

• Vehicle Builders' Employees Federation of Australia records, 1941-1960, 1941 - 1960, MLMSS 5231; Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales. Details

The University of Melbourne Archives

• Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation of Australia, Federal Office - Records, 1931 - 1997, 2001.0037; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation, Victorian Branch - Records, 1969 - 1994, 2001.0036; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation, Victorian Branch - Records, 1976 - 1982, 1987.0181; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation, Victorian Branch - Records, 1965 - 1983, 1986.0167; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details
• Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation, Victorian Branch - Records, 1943 - 1970, 1981.0105; The University of Melbourne Archives. Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

• Bramble, T., 'Conflict, Coercion and Co-Option: The Role of Full Time Officials in the South Australian Branch of the Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation, 1967-80', Labour History, vol. 63, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Sydney, 1992, pp. 135-154. Details
• Tierney, Robert, 'Racial Conflicts in the Australian Automotive Industry in the 1950s: Production Line Workers, the Vehicle Builders Federation and Shop Floor Organisation', Labour History, vol. 76, 1999, pp. 20-40. 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