Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union of Australia
 An early banner of the FMWU | |
| Merged into | Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 15 December 1915[1] |
| Dissolved | 1992 |
| Headquarters | Labor Council Building, 377 Sussex Street, Sydney, NSW |
| Location | |
| Members | 95,000 (1976)[2] |
Key people | Martin Ferguson (General Secretary), Jim McGinty (Secretary), Jeff Lawrence (General Secretary), Sid O'Flaherty (Secretary), Fred Katz (General Secretary) |
| Affiliations | ACTU, ALP, Association of International Disarmament, International Chemical Federation, General Workers Federation |
The Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union (FMWUl commonly known as the 'Missos') was an Australian trade union from 1915 to 1992.[3] It represented an extremely diverse and disparate range of occupations, but its core support came from workers employed in cleaning and security services.[1] The union merged with the Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees' Union of Australia to form United Voice in 1992.
Formation
[edit]The union was first established on 6 May 1910 as the Watchmen, Caretakers and Cleaners Union of New South Wales (WCCU),[4] which was created by the Organising Committee of the New South Wales Labor Council.[1] The task of organisation was a difficult one due to the casualised and isolated nature of the occupations covered.[1] Under the leadership of the first Secretary of the WCCU, Joe Coote, the union adopted a pragmatic approach to increasing union membership by including any workers not already represented by trade unions, such as paintmaking employees.[1] To reflect the growing range of industries represented in 1915 the union changed its name to the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union.[3]
Growth
[edit]After steady growth over the first half of the century, including winning paid sick leave, annual leave and a forty-hour week, the union really took off in the 1950s. A new rank-and-file leadership led by Ray Gietzelt took over to create a vibrant, member-driven union.[5]
Famous campaigns during the 1950s and 60s included organising workers paid to be Santa Clauses at Christmas and a group of dance instructors who were locked out for four months before winning their jobs back.[5] In the late 1960s the FMWU absorbed the membership of the defunct Australian Leather and Allied Trades Employees' Federation.[1]
The strength of the "Missos" grew over these years, with membership increasing from 25,000 in 1955 to 88,000 by 1975. Ray Gietzelt remained General Secretary from 1955 to 1984.
Amalgamation
[edit]In 1992 the FMWU amalgamated with the Federated Liquor and Allied Industries Employees' Union of Australia to form the Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU), later renamed United Voice.[3]
In 2019 United Voice merged with the National Union of Workers (NUW) to form the United Workers Union (UWU). Now the largest private-sector union in Australia. [6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Beasley, Margo (1996). The Missos: A History of the Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86373-649-2.
- ^ Huntley, Pat; Huntley, Ian (December 1976). Inside Australia's Top 100 Trade Unions - Are They Wrecking Australia?. Northbridge, NSW: Ian Huntley. pp. 192–195. ISBN 0-9598507-1-6.
- ^ a b c Smith, Bruce (6 August 2010). "Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia". Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ Sheil, Christopher (September 1991). "The Origins of Unions: Some Miscellaneous Sydney Workers in 1910". Journal of Industrial Relations. 3. 33 (3): 295–307. doi:10.1177/002218569103300301.
- ^ a b "History". United Voice. Archived from the original on 6 December 2011. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
- ^ https://unitedworkers.org.au/media-release/national-union-of-workers-and-united-voice-officially-merge-to-create-united-workers-union/ [bare URL]
External links
[edit]- United Voice The website of United Voice, the successor to the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union.
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