Federated Marine Stewards' and Pantrymen's Association of Australasia
Encyclopedia
Federated Marine Stewards and Pantrymen's Association of Australasia was an Australian trade union established in 1884, and existing as a federal union from 1909 to 1988. The association represented marine stewards
and stewardesses, marine pantrymen and crew attendants
. The union operated a closed shop
, with all workers employed in the industry members of the union, and operated on a 'no OK card - no job' principle.
. The Marine Stewards' Association resisted industry-wide strike action in August 1935, when members of the Seamen's Union of Australia
advocated a strike over pay and conditions. The Marine Stewards' Union was the first maritime union to admit women into its membership, albeit initially in very low numbers and only on passenger ships.
Robert James (Bob) Heffron, who would later become the Premier of New South Wales between 1959 and 1964, was for a number of years in the 1920's the Secretary of the NSW Branch of the Federated Marine Stewards and Pantrymen's Association.
and a reduction in passenger travel by sea, reduced the membership base. The process of amalgamation with the Seamen's Union was initiated in 1985, and completed in 1988. Amalgamation reduced the cost of running a small organisation, and allowed more concerted action on board ships, where previously up to 8 separate unions could have had coverage on a ship of 40, with each union holding separate meetings. The greater industrial strength of the new SUA (later to amalgamate with the Waterside Workers' Federation to become the Maritime Union of Australia
) led to achievements, including new hiring arrangements which gave greater job security to ships' stewards.
Chief Steward
A chief steward is the senior unlicensed crew member working in the Steward's Department of a ship. Since there is no purser on most ships in the United States Merchant Marine, the steward is the senior person in the department, whence its name...
and stewardesses, marine pantrymen and crew attendants
Steward's Assistant
A steward's assistant is an unlicensed, entry-level crewmember in the Steward's department of a merchant ship. This position can also be referred to as steward , galley utilityman, messman, supply or waiter.The role of the SA consists mainly of stocking, cleaning and assisting with the...
. The union operated a closed shop
Closed shop
A closed shop is a form of union security agreement under which the employer agrees to hire union members only, and employees must remain members of the union at all times in order to remain employed....
, with all workers employed in the industry members of the union, and operated on a 'no OK card - no job' principle.
Politics
For most of its history the union had poor relations with the more radical, left-wing maritime trade unions due to the strong communist influence in these organisations, and was aligned with the right wing of the Labor movement, as represented by the Democratic Labor PartyDemocratic Labor Party
The Democratic Labor Party is a political party in Australia that espouses social conservatism and opposes neo-liberalism. The first "DLP" Senator in decades, party vice-president John Madigan was elected to the Australian Senate with 2.3 percent of the primary vote in Victoria at the 2010 federal...
. The Marine Stewards' Association resisted industry-wide strike action in August 1935, when members of the Seamen's Union of Australia
Seamen's Union of Australia
The Seamen's Union of Australia was the principal trade union for merchant seamen in Australia from 1876 to the 1991. Australian seamen were forerunners of maritime trade unionism. Efforts to form trade unions amongst merchant seamen trading out of Australian ports can be traced back to 1874, with...
advocated a strike over pay and conditions. The Marine Stewards' Union was the first maritime union to admit women into its membership, albeit initially in very low numbers and only on passenger ships.
Robert James (Bob) Heffron, who would later become the Premier of New South Wales between 1959 and 1964, was for a number of years in the 1920's the Secretary of the NSW Branch of the Federated Marine Stewards and Pantrymen's Association.
Amalgamation
Despite a long history of proud independence, the association began to consider amalgamation during the 1980s, as generational change reduced animosity with other maritime trade unions, and changes in the industry, such as automationAutomation
Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work in the production of goods and services. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization...
and a reduction in passenger travel by sea, reduced the membership base. The process of amalgamation with the Seamen's Union was initiated in 1985, and completed in 1988. Amalgamation reduced the cost of running a small organisation, and allowed more concerted action on board ships, where previously up to 8 separate unions could have had coverage on a ship of 40, with each union holding separate meetings. The greater industrial strength of the new SUA (later to amalgamate with the Waterside Workers' Federation to become the Maritime Union of Australia
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seafarers, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. As of 2011 the union has about 13,000 members. It is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation and represents the...
) led to achievements, including new hiring arrangements which gave greater job security to ships' stewards.