One Big Union (continued)

The 1947 ACTU Congress saw the essence of this rephrasing and also the name change to the Australian Council of Trade Unions. At this Congress, another amendment was made to the ACTU Constitution, stating another means of closer organisation to be 'grouping of unions in their respective industries'.[59]

Ten years later, the ACTU Executive was restructured, taking these industry groups into account. The Constitution of the Executive - 'A President, two Vice Presidents and a Secretary elected from and by Congress and two members appointed by each State Labor Council', unchanged since 1927, was altered at the 1957 ACTU Congress. It was decided to halve the number of State Labor Council representatives on the Executive and add instead six representatives from the industry and service groups: Building; Food and Distributive Services; Manufacturing; Metal; Services; and Transport. In 1967 the Australian Workers' Union finally agreed to affiliate with the ACTU. In deference to its size and strength, the AWU was given its own group and position on the Executive. In 1979 and 1981 the ACTU's respective amalgamations with the Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations, and the Council of Australian Government Employee Organisations led to each being given a group and executive positions.[60] Changes were also made to the industry groups in 1983.

In 1985 the number of industry groups and corresponding positions on the ACTU Executive was extended to eighteen:

1. Australian Government
   
2. Australian Workers' Union
   
3. Banking and Finance
   
4. Building
   
5. Education
   
6. Food and Liquor
   
7. Health
   
8. Local Government
   
9. Manufacturing
   
10. Metals and Mining Group I
    
11. Metals and Mining Group II
    
12. Retail
    
13. Services Group I
    
14. Services Group II
    
15. State Government
    
16. Technical Services and Printed Communication
    
17. Transport/Distribution I
    
18. Transport/Distribution II[61]
    

The ACTU Executive was further reshaped at the 1993 Congress to accommodate the massive restructuring of the trade union movement through amalgamations of the 1990s and late 1980s. The 38 member Executive and smaller Executive Sub-Committee was replaced by a 81 member Council and smaller Executive. The new Council representation was based on 21 'Union Groups' (either single unions or groupings expected to become so eventually)

1. Australian Municipal, Administrative and Clerical Services Union
   
2. Construction, Forestry and Mining Employees Union
   
3. Communications/Electrical/Plumbing Group
   
4. Distribution, Warehousing/Manufacturing
   
5. Education Group
   
6. Finance
   
7. Nurses
   
8. Health Services Union of Australia
   
9. Australian Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union
   
10. Automotive Metals Engineering Union [sic] / Confectionery Workers & Food Preservers Union of Australia
    
11. Maritime Federation
    
12. Public Sector
    
13. Public Transport Union
    
14. Transport Workers Union of Australia
    
15. Shop Distributive & Allied Employees Association
    
16. AWU/FIMEE
    
17. Printing & Kindred Industry Union [sic]
    
18. Police & Emergency Services Group
    
19. Media & Entertainment Group
    
20. Professional & Managerial Group
    
21. General Unions Group[62]
    

Each group was to have one Council delegate per 80,000 members or part thereof.[63] It was noted that the representation would be varied as required to take account of proposals and outcome of union amalgamation initiatives.[64]

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