One big union

The Australian Workers Union (AWU), formed in 1886, has been one of the most influential unions in Australia's political and industrial history. From its beginnings as a sheep shearers union, it became known as a champion of compulsory arbitration, fighting for improvements in wages and conditions through the industrial courts. In the first part of the twentieth century it expanded by amalgamating with other unions, its aim being the creation of 'one big union'. Indeed for much of its existence the AWU has been Australia's largest union, operating in all Australian States and across a wide range of industries. This comprehensive and compelling book is a national history of the AWU. It shows that the union has been a player in key events and crises in Australian history, including the great strikes of the 1890s, the 1916-17 conscription crisis, Labor's splits in the 1950s and the 1956 shearers' strike. The book features vivid portraits of the tempestuous and talented individuals who matched these great issues: William Spence, Mary Gilmore, Henry Lawson, William Lane, Clarrie Fallon, Tom Dougherty, Joe Bukowski and Charlie Oliver. Unique as a union whose industrial and political power was unrivalled for over sixty years, few unions in Great Britain or the United States have had such influence as the AWU. This book will be an important addition to labour history, but it is also a work of general appeal.