Electrical Trades Union NSW Branch

	Select Office

History
	Creation of ETU
	Early Achievement
	The Great Depression
	WWII
	Decades of Achievement
	Achievements
Offices
	Sydney
	Newcastle
	Wollongong
	Canberra
Structure
	Membership
Contact Us
	Phones, Emails...

Creation of the ETU

In June 1900, 30 electrical trade workers met in Sydney to discuss the formation of a union of workers for the electrical trades industry, which they intended to call the Operative Electrical Union. This was a result of the depression in Australia in the 1890’s, which made life very difficult for many workers and their families. Many were without jobs, and those that were lucky enough to have a job suffered horrible working and living conditions.

The official anniversary of the union is October 28 1902. There was a meeting in room 27 of the Trades Hall, and at this meeting the following were elected: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Committee members representing government workers and civil workers.

Thirty-seven members were enrolled at this meeting and paid their entrance fees, which represented 1.25% of members’ wages, a significantly larger proportion of wages than is paid today.

Objectives of the Union were:

To protect and regulate the conditions of labour in the various branches of the trade.
To promote the general welfare of its members.
To aid other societies having amongst their objectives the interests of workers.

The Union grew from strength to strength.

Much of the union's growth was due to the growth in electricity.

The first public street lighting was switched on in Tamworth in NSW in 1888, closely followed by the Councils of Young, Penrith, Moss Vale, Broken Hill and Newcastle. Sydney Municipal Council did not begin public supply until 1904.

The growth of the ETU was inevitably related to the growth of the electricity supply industry in NSW. The largest employer of ETU members in the beginnings was the Railways and Tramways Department. Tramways were electrified in 1888 and railways in 1926.

But despite extraordinary electrical advances at the beginning of the century, the workers, which were so vital to the success of the industry, were poorly treated.

From "ETU The Greatest Servant – A Social History of the Electrical Trades Union (NSW Branch)" by John R. Pola