The Australian Textile Workers' Union (ATWU) was an Australian

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

which existed from 1919 to 1987.Smith, Bruce A. created 20 April 2001, last modified 6 August 2010. Trade Union Entry: Australian Textile Workers Union (ii). "http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0265b.htm".

Australian Trade Union Archives Australian Trade Union Archives is a website intended to be an online resource for archived and present day material related to industrial organisations in Australia. It went online in 2002. It is a joint project of the Australian Science and Tec ...

. Retrieved 8 October 2011. The ATWU represented Australian workers employed in the manufacture of textiles, including the

spinning Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...

weaving Weaving is a method of textile production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. Other methods are knitting, crocheting, felting, and braiding or plaiting. The longitudinal th ...

dyeing Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics with the goal of achieving color with desired color fastness. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular ...

and finishing of all types of fibres. Later, the union also represented workers employed in manufacturing felt hatting.

Formation

The ATWU was formed in 1919 following the deregistration of the

General Textile Workers' Federation of Australia A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED On ...

in the same year.Smith, Bruce A. created 20 April 2001, last modified 6 August 2010. Trade Union Entry: Australian Textile Workers Union (i). "http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0264b.htm". Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 8 October 2011. The Australian Textile Workers' Union was reregistered in 1984 following the union's merger with the

Federated Felt Hatting and Allied Trade Employees' Union of Australia Federated may refer to: * Federated state, a constituent state within a federal state * Federated school, a model of administration in some educational institutions * Federated congregation, a type of religious congregation Computing * Federat ...

Amalgamation

In the 1970s and 1980s the number of workers employed in the Australian textile industry declined significantly due to

automation Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, namely by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines ...

, and increased competition from foreign goods, due to tariff reductions. This led to a decrease in the membership of the ATWU, and the union began seeking amalgamation with other trade unions in the apparel industry. In 1987 the union finalised amalgamation with the

Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation The Australian Boot Trade Employees' Federation (ABTEF) was an Australian trade union which existed from 1908 to 1987.Smith, Bruce A. created 20 April 2001, last modified 6 August 2010. Trade Union Entry: Australian Boot Trade Employees Federati ...

, creating the

Amalgamated Footwear and Textile Workers' Union of Australia Amalgamated Footwear and Textile Workers' Union of Australia was a short-lived Australian trade union, which existed between 1987 and 1992.Smith, Bruce A. created 20 April 2001, last modified 6 August 2010. Trade Union Entry: Amalgamated Footwea ...

. This new body subsequently amalgamated with the Clothing and Allied Trades Union to form the

Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) was a trade union in Australia. It represented a wide range of workers from the textile, clothing, footwear and felt hatting industries. The TCFUA was formed 1 July 1992 by the mer ...

, which continues to represent workers in the Australian textile industry.

References

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External links

tcfua.org.au
The website of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia, the successor to the ATWU. Defunct trade unions of Australia Textile and clothing trade unions Trade unions established in 1919 Trade unions disestablished in 1987 1919 establishments in Australia 1987 disestablishments in Australia