The New South Wales Typographical Association (NSWTA) 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 between 1880 and 1916. It represented compositors, skilled tradesmen responsible for

typesetting Typesetting is the composition of text by means of arranging physical ''type'' (or ''sort'') in mechanical systems or ''glyphs'' in digital systems representing ''characters'' (letters and other symbols).Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random Ho ...

in the printing trade.

History

A series of meetings was held in early 1880 which led to the formation of the New South Wales Typographical Association on 15 June 1882. Originally registered under the New South Wales Trade Union Act, in 1918 it was to become the New South Wales branch of the

Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia The Printing Industry Employees' Union of Australia (PIEUA) was an Australian trade union which existed between 1915 and 1966. It represented a range of production and trades workers in the printing industry. History The PIEUA was formed on 6 Dece ...

. The organisation achieved some notoriety for boycotting '' The Dawn'' for employing non-union labor – women, who they refused to permit to join the association. In 1911 the secretary of the NSWTA assisted female employees in the printing industry to form the

Printing Trade Women and Girls' Union Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ea ...

and then to obtain their first

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...

in November 1912. On 13 August 1890, the ''Western Star and Roma Advertiser'' newspaper of Toowoomba, Queensland reported that one Miss Hill, employed by a Printer named Mr Jarrett of Clarence Street, was refused admittance to the union. On 6 May 1902, the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' reported that "the monthly board meeting of the New South Wales Typographical Association was held at the Trades Hall on Saturday night The president (Mr T W Spicer) occupied the chair. The Barrier Typographical Society was recommended to register under the Arbitration Act. In response to the re- quest of the Sydney Labour Council for assistance to the Newcastle wharf labourers the sum of £10 was voted. Messrs. George Watkins and J A Fraser were appointed delegates to the eight-hour demonstration committee, and the inaugural loan of £4 was voted. Twenty-seven new members were ad- mitted. Hospital donations amounting to £10 were voted." On 6 December 1916 the NSWTA merged with the other state-based affiliates of the

Australian Typographical Union Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

to form the

References

{{Reflist Defunct trade unions of Australia Printing trade unions Trade unions established in 1880