Federated Tobacco Workers' Union of Australia, Federal and NSW Branch

Description

Agent TypeOrganisationActivities & OccupationsTrade UnionsHistoryThis industrial union formed, in its embryo, in 1884. In 1908, the Union incorporated the Female Tobacco Operatives' Union, which had hitherto existed independently. It met as the female branch of the FTWU until 1918. As cigarette production increased, so too did the pro- portion of females in the industry. The Cigar Makers' Union amalgamated with the FTWU in 1969. Most of the Union membership has been situated in a handful of large Melbourne tobacco factories, eg, British-Austral- asian Tobacco (later W.D. and H.O. Wills) and Dudgeon and Arnell, and later Philip Morris and Rothmans. Rather than using federal arbitration apparatus, the union used collective bargaining with the companies as its main industrial tactic right through to the 1970s.The union gained a closed shop (preference of employment) policy in the 1930s. Its first federal award was made in 1980. It is considered to be a politically moderate union.

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Federated Tobacco Workers' Union of Australia, Federal and NSW Branch