Permanent & Casual Wharf Labourers Union of Australia
Encyclopedia
The Permanent & Casual Wharf Labourers Union of Australia (PCWLU) was a Australian union for maritime labourers.
The Union was established in opposition to the Waterside Workers Federation of Australia
. Branches were founded by "loyalists" in Sydney in response to the General Strike of 1917
and amalgamated in 1919. The union was not affiliated with Trades Hall
, and was subsequently registered in 1926 under the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Act (1904), and reregistered in the following year. Conflict between the two unions erupted into physical violence in 1931 on the steamer Kowarra moored at Lee Wharf in Newcastle. In 1946 the union applied for affiliation with its rival but was rebuffed on the charge that they were communist-controlled, and was eventually deregistered in 1950 after merging as a distinct branch of the Waterside Workers Federation of Australia.
Officials included:
The Union was established in opposition to the Waterside Workers Federation of Australia
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seafarers, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. As of 2011 the union has about 13,000 members. It is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation and represents the...
. Branches were founded by "loyalists" in Sydney in response to the General Strike of 1917
Australian General Strike of 1917
The General Strike of 1917 was a general strike which began in the Australian state of New South Wales and spread to other states over six weeks from 2 August to 8 September 1917.-Background:...
and amalgamated in 1919. The union was not affiliated with Trades Hall
Trades Hall
A Trades Hall is an English term for a building where trade unions meet together, or work from cooperatively, as a local representative organisation, known as a Labor Council or Trades Hall Council...
, and was subsequently registered in 1926 under the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Act (1904), and reregistered in the following year. Conflict between the two unions erupted into physical violence in 1931 on the steamer Kowarra moored at Lee Wharf in Newcastle. In 1946 the union applied for affiliation with its rival but was rebuffed on the charge that they were communist-controlled, and was eventually deregistered in 1950 after merging as a distinct branch of the Waterside Workers Federation of Australia.
Officials included:
- Melbourne Branch
- Charles Burchell - Branch secretary 1928/9
- Lionel Lewis - Legal advisor 1928/9
- John Daniel - Branch president 1928/9
- Sydney Branch
- David Shields - Union secretary 1929
- F. Werry - Secretary 1924-7
- James M'Intosh - Secretary 1919
- Newcastle Branch
- A. Forbes - Branch secretary 1936
- Brisbane Branch
- John Broadbent - Secretary 1933
- Adelaide Branch
- Hobart Branch