Labour Movements, Trade Unions and Strikes (Australia)

Abstract

The First World War caused great upheavals within the Australian labour movement. The period 1914-1918 saw the highest national union membership being recorded alongside the greatest number of working days ever lost on an annual basis to industrial action. And yet, this is an aspect of Australia's history that is scarcely documented in detail. As such, and as this survey article will demonstrate, scholars seeking to understand the history of labour movements, trade unions and strikes within Australia during the First World War must cast a broad net, and canvas both general histories and more focused case studies, in order to understand the broad impact of war on Australia.