The rise of railway unionism : a study of New South Wales and Victoria, c.1880-1905

Abstract

Despite unpromising beginnings, the railways of New South Wales and Victoria by 1905, had emerged as one of the most heavily unionised industries in the community. This thesis examines the origins and early history of railway trade unionism in New South Wales and Victoria in the period 1880 to 1905. To do this, it is divided into three sections. The first section, 'Foundations', explores the formation and characteristics of the locomotive enginemen's associations and the 'new' mass railway unions against the backdrop of the massive expansion of railway employment in the 1880s. The second section, 'Depression', discusses the experiences of the railway unions during the 1890s. 'Resurgence', the last section, consists of an analysis of the 1903 enginemen's strike in Victoria and the general revival of railway unionism in the twentieth century. One of the main arguments of this thesis is that the permanent employment the railways offered was highly prized by the workers of the period and considerably modified the behaviour of the railway unions relative to other areas of organised labour. It further argues that the railway unions' success depended largely on cultivating a sympathetic political climate. The thesis explores three general problems of trade unionism: why unions are formed, why changes in membership levels occur and what effect unionism has on industry. Some tentative answers to these problems are offered in the Conclusion. Where possible, the thesis tries to place railway unionism in the perspective of a wider social experience.