Queensland Council of Unions
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) is a representative body of Trade union
organisations, known as a Labour council
, in the State of Queensland
, Australia
. As of 2011 there are 32 affiliated unions and 13 provincial Trades & Labor Councils (also known as Branches of the QCU) affiliated to the Council, representing some 350,000 workers.
The Queensland Council of Unions is responsible for:
The QCU Executive elects the Chair of a variety of standing and working committees which are responsible for implementing strategies to achieve QCU objectives. Committee membership is made up of officials representing affiliated unions.
(1889), and a growth in membership of existing unions. The Fifth Intercolonial Trade Union Congress in Brisbane
in 1889 accepted the proposal to form the Australian Labour Federation, with the inaugural meeting on 11 June 1889 and the Labour Council disbanded. The Brisbane Worker newspaper was established in 1890 by the ALF under the editorship of William Lane
. That year saw the first of the great Australian strikes in the 1890s: the 1890 Australian Maritime Dispute
, followed by the 1891 Shearers strike, and the 1894 Shearers strike.
A Labour Council had formed again by 1903, but in 1911 all affiliates transferred to the Australian Labour Federation. In January 1914 the ALF effectively dissolved, as many of its affiliates had been swallowed by the Australian Workers Union, and a new organisation formed midyear called the Brisbane Industrial Council. Other inter-union organisations included the Eight Hours Union and the Brisbane Trades Hall Board, responsible for managing Brisbane Trades Hall
. During the First World War closer unity between labour movement organisations was explored culminating in a conference in September 1918 attended by 42 unions adopting an amalgamation scheme. After lengthy negotiations, on 12 April 1922 the Queensland Trades and Labour Council was established by 46 unions.
In 1993 the organisation was renamed the Australian Council of Trade Unions Queensland Branch to reflect its primary function and role. The name again changed in 1999 to Queensland Council of Unions to rebuild its local identity as a peak organisation
for Queensland trade unions.
Other important industrial disputes in Queensland include:
Currently two major unions in Queensland affiliated to Labor Right
are not members of the QCU. These are the Australian Workers Union and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association.
won the eight hour day, which was first commemorated on 1 March, 1865. Initially only those workers who had achieved an eight hour day were allowed to march in Eight Hour Day processions. By 1890 at least 11 unions had achieved significant reduction in hours and improvement of conditions and all workers were allowed to participate in the march from 1890.
During the 1891 Shearers Strike in Barcaldine, striking shearers held a procession on May Day
, 1 May 1890, with the first Brisbane May Day march in 1893. Eight Hour Day was formally changed to the first Monday in May in 1901, when it was gazetted as a public holiday by the Queensland Government. In 1912 the day was renamed Labour Day.
The Labour Day march in Brisbane is an organised procession of the Australian labour movement which parades through the streets of Brisbane ending at a park where a festival takes place to entertain participants and their families. In 2011 the march was led by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union celebrating it's 125th anniversary. Also ackowledged was a strong contingent of women unionists highlighting the 100th anniversary of the first International Women's Day.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
organisations, known as a Labour council
Labour council
A labour council, trades council or industrial council is an association of labour unions or union branches in a given area. Most commonly, they represent unions in a given geographical area, whether at the district, city, region, or provincial or state level...
, in the State of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. As of 2011 there are 32 affiliated unions and 13 provincial Trades & Labor Councils (also known as Branches of the QCU) affiliated to the Council, representing some 350,000 workers.
Responsibilities
The objective of the Queensland Council of Unions is to lead unions to achieve industrial, social and political justice for Queensland workers.The Queensland Council of Unions is responsible for:
- implementing Australian Council of Trade UnionsAustralian Council of Trade UnionsThe Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
policy within Queensland, represent the Queensland movement statewide, nationally and internationally. - support and co-ordinate affiliated unions to improve industrial conditions and increase membership;
- a public voice of the Queensland union movement;
- influence government and public policy at an industrial, political and social level;
- build awareness of the union movement through education, training and campaigning.
Structure
The Queensland Council of Unions has an executive made up of elected officers from affiliated unions that meets once a month.The QCU Executive elects the Chair of a variety of standing and working committees which are responsible for implementing strategies to achieve QCU objectives. Committee membership is made up of officials representing affiliated unions.
History
The origins of the organisation lie in a meeting of union secretaries to form a Trades and Labour Council on 18 August 1885, with agreement to form the organisation from 1 September, 1885. This was a period of rapid growth and saw the establishment of several unions including the Queensland Labourers Union (1889) and the Queensland Teachers UnionQueensland Teachers Union
The Queensland Teachers' Union is an Australian trade union with a membership of more than 44,000 teachers and principals in the Queensland Government's primary schools, secondary schools, special schools, senior colleges, TAFE colleges and other educational facilities. More than 96 per cent of...
(1889), and a growth in membership of existing unions. The Fifth Intercolonial Trade Union Congress in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
in 1889 accepted the proposal to form the Australian Labour Federation, with the inaugural meeting on 11 June 1889 and the Labour Council disbanded. The Brisbane Worker newspaper was established in 1890 by the ALF under the editorship of William Lane
William Lane
William Lane was a journalist, advocate of Australian labour politics and a utopian.-Early life:Lane was born in Bristol, England, eldest son of James Lane,from Ireland a Protestant Master Gardener , and his English wife Caroline, née Hall...
. That year saw the first of the great Australian strikes in the 1890s: the 1890 Australian Maritime Dispute
1890 Australian maritime dispute
The 1890 Australian Maritime Dispute, commonly known as the 1890 Maritime Strike, was on a scale unprecedented in the Australian colonies to that point in time, causing political and social turmoil across all Australian colonies and in New Zealand, including the collapse of colonial governments in...
, followed by the 1891 Shearers strike, and the 1894 Shearers strike.
A Labour Council had formed again by 1903, but in 1911 all affiliates transferred to the Australian Labour Federation. In January 1914 the ALF effectively dissolved, as many of its affiliates had been swallowed by the Australian Workers Union, and a new organisation formed midyear called the Brisbane Industrial Council. Other inter-union organisations included the Eight Hours Union and the Brisbane Trades Hall Board, responsible for managing Brisbane Trades Hall
Brisbane Trades Hall
The Brisbane Trades Hall is the Trades Hall building in the Australian city of Brisbane. It is used by the Queensland trade union movement for meetings, offices, social and educational events, and is the location of the Trades and Labour Council, now known as the Queensland Council of Unions...
. During the First World War closer unity between labour movement organisations was explored culminating in a conference in September 1918 attended by 42 unions adopting an amalgamation scheme. After lengthy negotiations, on 12 April 1922 the Queensland Trades and Labour Council was established by 46 unions.
In 1993 the organisation was renamed the Australian Council of Trade Unions Queensland Branch to reflect its primary function and role. The name again changed in 1999 to Queensland Council of Unions to rebuild its local identity as a peak organisation
Peak organisation
A peak organisation or peak body in Australia is an association of industries or groups. They are generally established for the purposes of developing standards and processes, or to act on behalf of all members when lobbying government or promoting the interests of the members.In the commercial...
for Queensland trade unions.
Other important industrial disputes in Queensland include:
- 1912 Brisbane General Strike1912 Brisbane General StrikeThe 1912 Brisbane General Strike in Queensland, Australia, began when members of the Australian Tramway Employees Association were dismissed when they wore union badges to work on 18 January 1912...
- 1948 Queensland Railway strike1948 Queensland Railway strikeright|thumb|225px|Confrontation with police during demonstration in support of the strike, Brisbane, 17 March 1948The 1948 Queensland Railway strike was a strike which lasted nine weeks, from February to April, 1948, over issues of the wages of the Railway Workshops and locomotive depots workers in...
- SEQEB dispute
- 1998 Australian waterfront dispute1998 Australian waterfront disputeThe Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a watershed event in Australian Industrial Relations history, in which the Patrick Corporation undertook a restructuring of their operations for the purpose of increasing the productivity of their workforce...
Currently two major unions in Queensland affiliated to Labor Right
Labor Right
The Labor Right, or Labor Unity in some State branches, or Centre Unity in NSW, is the organised faction of the Australian Labor Party that tends to be more economically liberal and socially conservative than Labor Left....
are not members of the QCU. These are the Australian Workers Union and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association.
Labour Day
On 1 March 1858 stonemasons working for John PetrieJohn Petrie
John "Jocky" Petrie was a Scottish football player who played for Arbroath F.C..He holds the record for the most goals ever scored in a senior British football game with 13 goals. This occurred during Arbroath's famous 36–0 victory over Bon Accord F.C...
won the eight hour day, which was first commemorated on 1 March, 1865. Initially only those workers who had achieved an eight hour day were allowed to march in Eight Hour Day processions. By 1890 at least 11 unions had achieved significant reduction in hours and improvement of conditions and all workers were allowed to participate in the march from 1890.
During the 1891 Shearers Strike in Barcaldine, striking shearers held a procession on May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
, 1 May 1890, with the first Brisbane May Day march in 1893. Eight Hour Day was formally changed to the first Monday in May in 1901, when it was gazetted as a public holiday by the Queensland Government. In 1912 the day was renamed Labour Day.
The Labour Day march in Brisbane is an organised procession of the Australian labour movement which parades through the streets of Brisbane ending at a park where a festival takes place to entertain participants and their families. In 2011 the march was led by the Rail, Tram and Bus Union celebrating it's 125th anniversary. Also ackowledged was a strong contingent of women unionists highlighting the 100th anniversary of the first International Women's Day.