William Trenwith
Encyclopedia
William Arthur Trenwith (15 July 1846 – 26 July 1925) was a pioneer trade union
official and labour movement politician for Victoria
, Australia
.
Born to convict parents at Launceston, Tasmania
, he followed his father's trade as a bootmaker. Largely unschooled, barely literate, and with poor eyesight, Trenwith had a gift for oratory and public speaking which was to assist him in union organising and later as a politician. He was involved during the late 1870s with the National Reform League where he agitated for protective tariff
s, a land tax, and reform of the Victorian Legislative Council
.
As one of the founding members of the Victorian Operative Bootmakers Union in 1879 he served as its Secretary in 1883. He was instrumental in coordinating the 1884 bootmakers' strike
from Melbourne Trades Hall, which saw Victoria's first fullscale picketing and was an important campaign in the fight against sweated labour
. He advocated the abolition of outwork in the bootmaking industry to eliminate cheap labour and encourage unionisation.
Trenwith honed his public oratory skills at North Wharf on the banks of the Yarra River
, in Melbourne
on Sunday afternoons, along with Joseph Symes, Chummy Fleming
, and Monty Miller and many other Australian labour movement
activists and radicals of the time.
In 1886 he was elected President of the Trades Hall Council
, and was also made a Life Governor of the Homeopathic Hospital that year. By 1890 he was seen as a Trades Hall
bureaucrat being opposed by radicals such as Chummy Fleming about working conditions, who accused Trenwith and other moderate THC bureaucrats, of 'working with blood-sucking capitalists.'
After a number of attempts at nomination, Trenwith was elected in May 1889 for the seat of Richmond (1889–1903) to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
on a labour platform and sought reforms in education
, unemployment
and tariff protection. He was the lone labour representative in the Victorian Parliament until the following election in April 1892 when 13 labour aligned candidates were elected.
During 1892 Trenwith was elected leader of the Victorian Labour Party, but continued to have problems at the grassroots with strong opposition from public meetings chaired by Chummy Fleming. During the 1892 maritime strike he argued strongly for compulsory arbitration over direct action, much to the disgust of labour radicals. In 1893 Trenwith opposed Chummy Fleming's proposal for the affiliation of the Knights of Labor
to the Trades Hall Council on the grounds that as a secret organisation it could not be organised industrially.
In the Parliament of Victoria
Trenwith served as Minister for Railways, commissioner for Public Works and vice-president of the Board of Land and Works between November 1900 and February 1901 in the Sir Alexander Peacock
ministry, and briefly as Chief Secretary (1901–02). The Government he was part of came under attack in November 1902 from a Trades Hall motion from Chummy Fleming protesting against the reduction of old age pensions from 10/- to 8/-.
Trenwith was the only elected labour representative at the Federal Constitutional Convention (1897–98) that led to the Federation of the six Australian colonies in 1901. His support of Federation was over the objections of many in the labour movement, and served to ameliorate accusations that the Federation Bill had been "wholly shaped in a conservative direction" as accused by the Age
.
From 1903 to 1910 Trenwith served as an Independent Senator
for Victoria. His withdrawal of support for the Federal Labor government of Andrew Fisher
resulted in his defeat at the following election and retirement from politics.
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...
official and labour movement politician for Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, 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...
.
Born to convict parents at Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, he followed his father's trade as a bootmaker. Largely unschooled, barely literate, and with poor eyesight, Trenwith had a gift for oratory and public speaking which was to assist him in union organising and later as a politician. He was involved during the late 1870s with the National Reform League where he agitated for protective tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s, a land tax, and reform of the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
.
As one of the founding members of the Victorian Operative Bootmakers Union in 1879 he served as its Secretary in 1883. He was instrumental in coordinating the 1884 bootmakers' strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
from Melbourne Trades Hall, which saw Victoria's first fullscale picketing and was an important campaign in the fight against sweated labour
Sweatshop
Sweatshop is a negatively connoted term for any working environment considered to be unacceptably difficult or dangerous. Sweatshop workers often work long hours for very low pay, regardless of laws mandating overtime pay or a minimum wage. Child labour laws may be violated. Sweatshops may have...
. He advocated the abolition of outwork in the bootmaking industry to eliminate cheap labour and encourage unionisation.
Trenwith honed his public oratory skills at North Wharf on the banks of the Yarra River
Yarra River
The Yarra River, originally Birrarung, is a river in east-central Victoria, Australia. The lower stretches of the river is where the city of Melbourne was established in 1835 and today Greater Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches...
, in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on Sunday afternoons, along with Joseph Symes, Chummy Fleming
Chummy Fleming
John William 'Chummy' Fleming was a pioneer unionist, agitator for the unemployed, and anarchist in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, and Monty Miller and many other Australian labour movement
Australian labour movement
The Australian labour movement has its origins in the early 19th century and includes both trade unions and political activity. At its broadest, the movement can be defined as encompassing the industrial wing, the unions in Australia, and the political wing, the Australian Labor Party and minor...
activists and radicals of the time.
In 1886 he was elected President of the Trades Hall Council
Victorian Trades Hall Council
The Victorian Trades Hall Council is a representative body of trade union organisations, known as a Labour council, in the State of Victoria, Australia...
, and was also made a Life Governor of the Homeopathic Hospital that year. By 1890 he was seen as a Trades Hall
Trades Hall
A Trades Hall is an English term for a building where trade unions meet together, or work from cooperatively, as a local representative organisation, known as a Labor Council or Trades Hall Council...
bureaucrat being opposed by radicals such as Chummy Fleming about working conditions, who accused Trenwith and other moderate THC bureaucrats, of 'working with blood-sucking capitalists.'
After a number of attempts at nomination, Trenwith was elected in May 1889 for the seat of Richmond (1889–1903) to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
on a labour platform and sought reforms in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and tariff protection. He was the lone labour representative in the Victorian Parliament until the following election in April 1892 when 13 labour aligned candidates were elected.
During 1892 Trenwith was elected leader of the Victorian Labour Party, but continued to have problems at the grassroots with strong opposition from public meetings chaired by Chummy Fleming. During the 1892 maritime strike he argued strongly for compulsory arbitration over direct action, much to the disgust of labour radicals. In 1893 Trenwith opposed Chummy Fleming's proposal for the affiliation of the Knights of Labor
Knights of Labor
The Knights of Labor was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s. Its most important leader was Terence Powderly...
to the Trades Hall Council on the grounds that as a secret organisation it could not be organised industrially.
In the Parliament of Victoria
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of The Queen, represented by the Governor of Victoria; the Legislative Council ; and the Legislative Assembly...
Trenwith served as Minister for Railways, commissioner for Public Works and vice-president of the Board of Land and Works between November 1900 and February 1901 in the Sir Alexander Peacock
Alexander Peacock
Sir Alexander James Peacock, KCMG , Australian politician, was the 20th Premier of Victoria.Peacock was born of Scottish descent at Creswick, the first Victorian Premier born after the gold rush of the 1850s and the attainment of self-government in Victoria. He was distantly related to the family...
ministry, and briefly as Chief Secretary (1901–02). The Government he was part of came under attack in November 1902 from a Trades Hall motion from Chummy Fleming protesting against the reduction of old age pensions from 10/- to 8/-.
Trenwith was the only elected labour representative at the Federal Constitutional Convention (1897–98) that led to the Federation of the six Australian colonies in 1901. His support of Federation was over the objections of many in the labour movement, and served to ameliorate accusations that the Federation Bill had been "wholly shaped in a conservative direction" as accused by the Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
.
From 1903 to 1910 Trenwith served as an Independent Senator
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for Victoria. His withdrawal of support for the Federal Labor government of Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher was an Australian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister on three separate occasions. Fisher's 1910-13 Labor ministry completed a vast legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation...
resulted in his defeat at the following election and retirement from politics.