The Australian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation (often known as the Miners' Federation of Australia) was an Australian trade union representing workers in the
coal mining industry from 1913 to 1990.
It was first federally registered in 1913 as the Australasian Coal Miners' Association and changed its name to the Australasian Coal and Shale Employees' Federation in 1916.
It "traces its descent in an unbroken line" through the Amalgamated Miners' Association of Australasia, itself formed in 1884, by the amalgamation of other unions, including New South Wales coal miners, with the Amalgamated Miner's Association of Victoria, formed in 1874.
In 1919, it joined the short-lived
One Big Union, the Workers' Industrial Union of Australia, as its Mining Department, amending its constitution but retaining its separate industrial registration; the WIUA had ceased to exist by 1921.
By the 1930s, the union was reported to be controlled by 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 communist party founded in 1920. The party existed until roughly 1991, with its membership and influence having been ...
. In 1949, the union headed the
1949 Australian coal strike
The 1949 Australian coal strike was the first time that Australian military forces were used during peacetime to break a trade union strike. The strike by 23,000 coal miners lasted for seven weeks, from 27 June 1949 to 15 August 1949, with troop ...
, which resulted in the
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...
government of
Ben Chifley
Joseph Benedict Chifley (; 22 September 1885 – 13 June 1951) was an Australian politician and train driver who served as the 16th prime minister of Australia from 1945 to 1949. He held office as the leader of the Labor Party (ALP), and was n ...
using the army to break the strike.
It amalgamated with the
Federated Mining Mechanics' Association of Australasia to form the
United Mineworkers' Federation of Australia in 1990, which after two further amalgamations formed the Construction Forestry and Mining Employees' Union (the forerunner of the modern
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) is Australia's largest union in the construction, forestry, maritime, textile, clothing and footwear production industries.
The CFMEU has offices in all capital cities in Aust ...
) in 1992.
References
{{reflist
Defunct trade unions of Australia