The Birth of an Organising Union

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‘The carriers are trying to combine’: organising beyond Sydney After the disastrous economic collapse of the 1890s, unionism was still in its infancy in New South Wales in 1901. So the Trolly, Draymen and Carters’ Union concentrated on establishing its organisation in the industrial centre of Sydney. Elsewhere across New South Wales, carters and carriers sought to establish their own local unions, which over time came together to form the modern Transport Workers’ Union. Across rural New South Wales, carriers played the role of the modern long distance driver; sometimes working their own business, sometimes employed by others. But they often faced the same problems of poor pay and working conditions. These were the grievances of the carriers of the NSW south coast who moved to unionise in February 1901: 36 The Birth of an Organising Union
‘The carriers are trying to combine. They mean business too, for they have called a meeting for the 23rd February and every carrier in the district has signed the requisition. The object of the meeting is to combine and do away with the starvation rates for which they have been carrying so long - rates which mean nothing better than poorly fed families, and worse fed horses.’ The newspaper report noted that, ‘Some nine or ten years ago the carriers of this district made a similar effort to form a union but the movement fell through with a nasty thud. Its failure was due to that enemy of all unions — the blackleg. The men who might have stuck to their mates through thick and thin were compelled to give in because their mates deserted the ship and went back to the old cut throat rates.’ That disunity was often an effect of the economic depression, forcing desperate workers to take whatever meagre wages were on offer. The carriers of 1901 faced cost pressures familiar to the modern long distance owner-driver. ‘The present rate of carriage is ridiculous. A man with a team of eight horses, which costs nothing under £100, will travel sixty miles to the port and sometimes further for 1s 6d to 2s 6d a hundredweight - according to the amount he owes the storekeeper. Out of this he has to feed his horses and feed and clothe himself and his family. The result is, as we said before, poor horses, and poor people.’ The newspaper also noted the inspiration provided by the federation of the Australian colonies into one united nation in January. ‘The predominant word at the Commonwealth Celebrations was ‘United,’ and for their own sakes we hope the carriers will decide at their meeting on the twenty-third to adopt the term ‘United,’ as their watchword. They have only themselves to blame that they are getting low rates and the remedy is in their own hands, let them not be slow to take it.’ ❝ Elsewhere across New South Wales, carters and carriers sought to establish their own local unions, which over time came together to form the modern Transport Workers’ Union. ❞ Organising beyond Sydney 37
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Page 10 and 11: On Saturday 2 February 1901, a meet
Page 12 and 13: Sydney Morning Herald, 11 February
Page 14 and 15: * 1888: First attempt to unionise F
Page 18 and 19: The suburbs that folded around Darl
Page 20 and 21: Smokestack soot mingled with the pu
Page 22 and 23: Pyrmont Bridge at the turn of the c
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Page 26 and 27: Across 1901 the records reveal the
Page 28 and 29: Not all work: the union’s fundrai
Page 30 and 31: Eight Hours and Safe Rates In 1901
Page 32 and 33: When the Trolly, Draymen and Carter
Page 36 and 37: In December 1901 the labour movemen
Page 38 and 39: TWU South Coast banner 32
Page 40 and 41: The hazards of carting heavy loads
Page 44 and 45: The controversial Billy Hughes 38
Page 46 and 47: themselves to be manipulated by thi
Page 48 and 49: A fitting tribute to a reborn union
Page 50 and 51: The Trolly, Draymen and Carters’
Page 52 and 53: a lorry, with a work-man making the
Page 54: Sources and further reading A range

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