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6 December 1901: Tailoresses Strike Over 'Long Hours, Arduous Work, Poor Pay'
Article recounting recent strikes of tailoresses in Sydney, which highlights the "long hours, arduous work, poor pay, and the request of the workers for higher wages". This has been met with wide-spread public approval.
4 November 1901: Women Warned Not To Accept Work In Sydney After Factory Owners Dismiss Female Unions
Account of the strike of tailoresses in Sydney, totaling 600 to 700 women and girls. Several firms now refuse to recognise the women unions, stating they will pay whatever they please. Trades Hall unions in Melbourne and Perth warn all women against…
22 July 1874: Women Warned Against Unionising As Complaints Over Poor Working Conditions Grow
Article complaining about the ever growing throngs of Melbourne Tailoresses who claim to be overworked and underpaid. According to the author of this article, it is a constant increase in the number of workers, which is the primary cause of the…
6 April 1927: Eight Hours Day Procession Largest On Record
Account of the Eight Hour Day procession in Melbourne April 6 1927, the largest on record.
18 September 1890: Independent Media Comments On Maritime Strike, Employees' Manifesto, Media Coverage And Women's Unions
Comments on the 1890 maritime strike with criticism of the Melbourne media's coverage of the strike in particular the Age and the Argus newspapers. Comments on the Employers Manifesto and also notes the need for women's trade unions.
9 March 1934: Trades Hall Supports Austrian Socialists Facing Fascism, Calls For Australia To Socialise Means Of Production
This article gives an account of a resolution passed by the Trades Hall Council which shows support to Austrian socialists after they were repressed by the Austrian government. It also stipulates a warning given by the Council to Australian workers…
16 April 1898: Victorian Trades Hall Supports Federation, Condemns Federation Bill
This article shows that the Trades Hall declared itself as against the Commonwealth Bill of 1898. Although the article does stipulate that the Hall was in favour of federation generally, it stipulates that the Bill was seen to be undemocratic, with…
23 April 1883: Glowing Recollection Of The Origins Of The Eight Hours Movement In Melbourne
Newspaper article relating the Origin and Progress of the Eight-Hour Movement in Melbourne
13 February 1883: Women Unions Hold Public Meeting In Support Of Tailoress Complaints
Public meeting held at the Town Hall with the purpose of obtaining sympathy for Female Operatives in Clothing Factories.
8 February 1928: Trades Hall Council Addresses Female Unemployment And Recommends Fair Working Conditions
Recount of a meeting at the Melbourne Trades Hall concerning the employment of women.
Recommendations for womens working conditions were made.
Recommendations for womens working conditions were made.
1875: Balance-Sheet Of The Eight-Hour Anniversary Committee
Document of the receipts and expenditures documented by the Eight-Hour Anniversary Committee in 1875, noting the celebration elements of the day, such as bands, repairing the banners and various expenditures of the day.
1 October 1915: Trades Hall Robbed, Police Constable Killed In Firefight
This is an article from the Argus newspaper about the Trades Hall robbery and shooting of Constable David McGrath. On 2 October 1915, thieves broke into Trades Hall in an attempt to steal money from the many union safes that were kept on the premises…
13 February 1883: Public Meeting Of Women Demands Equal Pay
Newspaper article discusses a public meeting held at the Townhall concerning the interests of the female operatives of Melbourne. Women were the largest group of attendees. Subject of debate was the equal pay of women, who wanted their efforts to be…
18 February 1885: Bootmakers Strike
This is a poster which depicts scenes from the 1885 bootmakers' strike in Melbourne. The poster is made up of 8 seperate images of the strike itself, the Trades Hall Council meeting room and union leaders.
1 May 1895: Eight Hours Day Anniversary Parade Continues
This image depicts the parade celebrating 139 years since the establishment of the eight hour working day. The parade travelled from Trades Hall through much of the city and this photograph was taken just outside of the Victorian Parliament building,…
February 1918: Trades Hall Council Lobbies For Employment And Fair Conditions For Returned Servicemen
This source demands fair working conditions and wages for men who were injured in war.
12 May 1856: Grand Celebrations At The First Achievement Of The Eight Hour Day In Victoria
This handbill commemorates the first Eight Hours Procession, celebrated just weeks after Victorian stonemasons, for the first time in world history, established an eight-hour day. Extravagant entertainments and a banquet dinner entertained over 1200…
13 April 1910: Australian Labor Party Elected To Majority Government For The First Time
The Labor government of 1910 was not only the first time that the Labor Party, the political wing of the labour movement, born in the Melbourne Trades Hall, had a majority in the lower house of Australia, but also the first majority of any party in…
1 October 1892: Trades Hall Representatives Evaluate Chinese Immigrants At Customs
Engraved cartoon published in the Illustrated Australian News in 1892.
1961: Union Representatives Meet With Premier To Resolve Dispute Over Manning Sunday Trains
Four men union representatives arriving at the Premier's Officer in 1961. The men from left: Trades Hall Council president, Mr W. Beeson; State secretary of the Australian Railways Union, Mr J. J. Brown; THC secretary, Mr J. V. Stout; and secretary…
April-May 1856: The First Eight Hours Banner Unfurled
A photograph of a banner published in the early Victorian illustrated newspaper The Australasian Sketcher reading "8 hours labour 8 hours recreation 8 hours rest"
15 April 1948: Trades Hall Debates Conditions And Responsibilities Regarding Post-War Immigrants
These minutes detail the debate to decide on the wording, and then vote on the work rights of immigrants and responsibilities of their current/prospective employers and Federal Government. After deciding that in order for the Trades Hall Council…
1 October 1915: Trades Hall Robbed, Police Officer Killed And Thieves Injured
A newspaper article giving a detailed account of the events that unfolded the previous morning (1st October, 1915), when a police officer was shot and killed during the attempted robbery of the Melbourne Trades Hall by three armed burglars. Two…
March-April 1955: "Women Must Fight" To Maintain Equal Pay
This is an article from the 1955 March-April edition of the Australian Worker the 'Voice of the Trade Unions' and the official monthly publication of the Australian Labor Party (Victorian Branch). The article, titled 'Equal Pay Campaign' highlights…
3 December 1917: Trades Hall Anti-Conscription Campaign Fights Against Second Plebiscite
An anti-conscription campaign publication aimed at voters in the December 1917 plebiscite, imploring Australians to reject the notion to instate mandatory conscription in Australia during World War I. The publication includes a series of smaller…