Communication Workers Union of Australia
Encyclopedia
The Communication Workers Union of Australia is a trade union
in Australia
. It is a division of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia
, and is affiliated with Union Network International
.
The Union has predominantly covered workers employed by Australia Post and Telstra, but has expanded to also cover contractors and workers employed by private sector firms in the mail, postal and telecommunications industries.
The Postal & Telecommunications branches within the CWU had their origins in the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union(APTU). The APTU holds its origins in the Australian Letter Carriers' Association and the Australian Telegraph, Telephone Construction & Maintenance Union (later known as the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia) which were both registered federally in 1912.
In 1924 the Australian Letter Carriers' Association changed its name to the Commonwealth Public Service Fourth Division Employees' Union of Australia only to amalgamate a year later with the Postal Sorters' Union of Australia and the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia to form the Amalgamated Postal Linesmen Sorters' & Letter Carriers' Union of Australia.
From 1926 it was known as the Amalgamated Postal Workers' Union (APWU), covering postmen, sorters and linesmen.
The APWU served until 1974 when it changed its name to the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union as a result of a further amalgamation with the Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists. From 1990 the Union amalgamated with the Australian Postmasters’ Association and later the Postal Supervisory Officers' Association to eventually be known as the Communication Workers’ Union and later to be joined by the Australian Telecommunications Employees Association/Australian Telephone & Phonogram Officers Association (ATEA/ATPOA) and the Telecommunication Officers Association(TOA).
By 1994 the CWU had merged with the Electrical Electronic Plumbing & Allied Workers Union of Australia (the end product of a merger between the ETU and the PTEU to form the Communications Electrical Electronic Energy Information Postal Plumbing & Allied Services Union of Australia. .
Dissent within the Divisional Executive over various issues such as the decision to support the latest Australia Post Enterprise Agreement led to challenges for all Divisional Office elected positions during the union's election in 2011. These challenges resulted in the sitting Divisional Secretary and Assistant Secretary (Postal) being voted out of office. .
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is a division of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia
Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia
The Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia is a trade union in Australia. Its full name is the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia as it represents workers in all of these industries.CEPU is an...
, and is affiliated with Union Network International
Union Network International
UNI Global Union is a global union federation for skills and services, gathering national and regional trade unions. It was launched on January 1, 2000. Its more than 900 affiliated unions in 140 countries have 20 million members...
.
The Union has predominantly covered workers employed by Australia Post and Telstra, but has expanded to also cover contractors and workers employed by private sector firms in the mail, postal and telecommunications industries.
The Postal & Telecommunications branches within the CWU had their origins in the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union(APTU). The APTU holds its origins in the Australian Letter Carriers' Association and the Australian Telegraph, Telephone Construction & Maintenance Union (later known as the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia) which were both registered federally in 1912.
In 1924 the Australian Letter Carriers' Association changed its name to the Commonwealth Public Service Fourth Division Employees' Union of Australia only to amalgamate a year later with the Postal Sorters' Union of Australia and the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia to form the Amalgamated Postal Linesmen Sorters' & Letter Carriers' Union of Australia.
From 1926 it was known as the Amalgamated Postal Workers' Union (APWU), covering postmen, sorters and linesmen.
The APWU served until 1974 when it changed its name to the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union as a result of a further amalgamation with the Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists. From 1990 the Union amalgamated with the Australian Postmasters’ Association and later the Postal Supervisory Officers' Association to eventually be known as the Communication Workers’ Union and later to be joined by the Australian Telecommunications Employees Association/Australian Telephone & Phonogram Officers Association (ATEA/ATPOA) and the Telecommunication Officers Association(TOA).
By 1994 the CWU had merged with the Electrical Electronic Plumbing & Allied Workers Union of Australia (the end product of a merger between the ETU and the PTEU to form the Communications Electrical Electronic Energy Information Postal Plumbing & Allied Services Union of Australia. .
Dissent within the Divisional Executive over various issues such as the decision to support the latest Australia Post Enterprise Agreement led to challenges for all Divisional Office elected positions during the union's election in 2011. These challenges resulted in the sitting Divisional Secretary and Assistant Secretary (Postal) being voted out of office. .
External links
- CWU Divisional Office official site.