Katherine Mary Isabel "Kath" Williams, ''née'' Chambers and formerly Clarey (23 April 1895 – 17 April 1975) was an Australian trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay. She was born at Lara to law clerk Edward Crombie Chambers and Jane Miriam, ''née'' Harding. She was educated at Melbourne University High School before graduating as a teacher from the Melbourne College of Domestic Economy in 1915. She married

Percy Clarey Percy James Clarey (20 January 189017 May 1960) was an Australian trade union leader and politician. He served as president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) from 1943 to 1949 and represented the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in t ...

, a trade union leader and later a prominent federal MP, on 31 March 1917 at Box Hill. Husband and wife were both active in the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms the f ...

, with Kath secretary of the Caulfield branch and president of the Women's Organising Committee in addition to holding membership of the state executive. She nominated for the seat of Caulfield at the 1935 election, but withdrew prior to the election. She was expelled from the Labor Party in December 1935 together with

Maurice Blackburn Maurice McCrae Blackburn (19 November 1880 – 31 March 1944) was an Australian politician and socialist lawyer, noted for his protection of the interests of workers and the establishment of the legal firm known as Maurice Blackburn Lawyers. ...

, having spoken at a rally organised by the Victorian Council Against War and Fascism. Although she was reinstated in the Labor Party in 1936, her increasing radicalism led to the end of both her ALP membership and her marriage to Clarey. Later in 1936, she joined the

Communist Party of Australia The Communist Party of Australia (CPA), known as the Australian Communist Party (ACP) from 1944 to 1951, was an Australian political party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been i ...

, and in December she and Clarey were divorced. She resumed her teaching activities in 1938, first at

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

and then

Wonthaggi Wonthaggi is a seaside town located south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass Highways, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Known originally for its coal mining, it is now the largest town in South Gippsl ...

. She married coalminer Anthony "Andy" Williams on 11 August 1945 in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

and went to England with him, but by 1948 had returned alone to Melbourne to work for the Liquor Trades Union. Williams won a position on the state committee of the Communist Party in 1948, which she used primarily to promote equal pay for women; she also advanced this cause as union delegate to the Melbourne Trades Hall Council. Following the Australian Council of Trade Unions' 1953 decision to establish equal pay committees in each state, Williams was elected secretary of the Victorian committee. She attended the World Conference of Working Women in

Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...

in 1956 as an observer, and wrote a booklet, ''Equality Will Be Won'', about the struggle. In 1957 she presented the Equal Pay Petition, with 62,000 signatures, to the Commonwealth government. Williams resigned from the Communist Party in 1963 to join the new

Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist) The Communist Party of Australia (CPA), known as the Australian Communist Party (ACP) from 1944 to 1951, was an Australian political party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been i ...

. She retired as an organiser in 1967 and died at Oakleigh in 1975, survived by the two sons of her first marriage.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Kath 1895 births 1975 deaths Australian communists Australian women's rights activists Socialist feminists 20th-century Australian women Communist Party of Australia members People educated at University High School, Melbourne People from Geelong