The Railways Union
This is two sides of an original Railways worker's union banner. (Somehow the signwriter left off an 'e' in 'employees'.)
Workers began to form unions in Australia from the 1830s. But it would still be some time before their campaigns for better pay and conditions would be realised. It wasn't until 1853 when Transportation of convicts from Britain ended, that this form of penal servitude came to a close.
Then in 1856 workers had a victory in the enshrinement of an eight hours working day. In 1907 a truly momentous court decision gave workers the right to a "living wage". This was in fact a significant decision worldwide and effectively turned Australia into a workers' paradise (relatively speaking).
"In 1907, the Harvester Decision set a ‘living’ or ‘family’ wage. It was supposed to allow an unskilled labourer to support a wife and three children, to feed, house, and clothe them. This became the basis of the national minimum wage system in Australia." www.fwc.gov.au/about-us/history/waltzing-matilda-and-suns...
From this time on Australia has always had a minimum award wage and arbitration to enable this wage to be indexed against the rising cost of living.
The Railways Union
This is two sides of an original Railways worker's union banner. (Somehow the signwriter left off an 'e' in 'employees'.)
Workers began to form unions in Australia from the 1830s. But it would still be some time before their campaigns for better pay and conditions would be realised. It wasn't until 1853 when Transportation of convicts from Britain ended, that this form of penal servitude came to a close.
Then in 1856 workers had a victory in the enshrinement of an eight hours working day. In 1907 a truly momentous court decision gave workers the right to a "living wage". This was in fact a significant decision worldwide and effectively turned Australia into a workers' paradise (relatively speaking).
"In 1907, the Harvester Decision set a ‘living’ or ‘family’ wage. It was supposed to allow an unskilled labourer to support a wife and three children, to feed, house, and clothe them. This became the basis of the national minimum wage system in Australia." www.fwc.gov.au/about-us/history/waltzing-matilda-and-suns...
From this time on Australia has always had a minimum award wage and arbitration to enable this wage to be indexed against the rising cost of living.