The Shearers and Rural Workers' Union is an Australian industrial union that is not registered with the

Fair Work Commission The Fair Work Commission (FWC), until 2013 known as Fair Work Australia (FWA), is the Australian industrial relations tribunal created by the ''Fair Work Act 2009'' as part of the Rudd Government's reforms to industrial relations in Australia ...

and is also not affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions. They formed on 1 May 1994 in Victoria when members of the

Australian Workers' Union The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s and currently has approximately 80,000 members. It has exerci ...

split away due to the declining membership of the AWU; the increase in AWU dues; and, a perceived anti-democratic bureaucracy in the AWU.

References

Shearers support for Craig Johnston, 9 September 2004
*"You need a real union," publication of the Shearers and Rural Workers' Union Ballarat, Victoria: (undated)

References

Further reading