- Title
- History of the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council 1856-2000
- Creator
- Beacham, Jennifer
- Date
- 2022
- Type
- Text; Thesis; PhD
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/190697
- Identifier
- vital:17654
- Abstract
- The Ballarat Trades and Labour Council (BT&LC) is the second oldest trades and labour council in the world, founded in 1883, although it has existed in various forms since 1856. This thesis examines the history of the BT&LC in terms of five related themes – ideological conflict, solidarity, labourism, masculinity, and spatiality. I approached this research project from the perspective of a labour historian, which also included issues of gender. While being resolute in writing the history of this institution, my aim was also to capture an aspect of Ballarat history that had not been examined before – the role of workers and their families. The BT&LC sets the parameters of its history from the Eureka Rebellion and gaining the Eight Hour Day for Ballarat stonemasons in 1856 a fortnight after their Melbourne counterparts. Since that time, the BT&LC has built the substantial Trades Hall in Camp Street, which it still occupies and hosted the Seventh Intercolonial Trade Union Congress in 1891 when the decision to seek political representation was formally endorsed. It witnessed the emergence of the new elites and the ideological struggle that became more bitter as the Catholic Church, Protestant Freemasons, and the very active Communist Party battled for supremacy, with it ending inevitably in a divisive public separation in 1955. The Whitlam years saw their resurgence with a new face to unionism as public sector workers, teachers and nurses became militant and women began to take significant roles. In Ballarat while this has meant political ascendancy since 1980, the success of the political wing has not necessarily been mirrored in the fortunes of the peak union organisation. Ballarat’s overall union membership has declined. The old loyalties have been difficult to maintain and the capacity to build new alliances is challenging. However, one thing remains clear: strong individuals who understand the underpinnings of solidarity and unity have ensured that the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council has remained a significant feature of the Ballarat public landscape.; Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- Federation University Australia
- Rights
- All metadata describing materials held in, or linked to, the repository is freely available under a CC0 licence
- Rights
- Copyright @ Jennifer Beacham
- Rights
- Open Access
- Subject
- Ideological struggle; Solidarity; Unity; Gender; Place
- Full Text
- Thesis Supervisor
- Smith, Jeremy
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