Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council

The Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council, also known as Unions Tasmania, is a representative body of trade union organisations in the State of Tasmania, Australia. It is the peak union body in Tasmania, made up of affiliated unions who represent some 50,000 workers. It is the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). ^[1]

As of 2017, the Secretary of Unions Tasmania is Jessica Munday. ^[2] Notable past Trades Hall Secretaries include:

• Lynne Fitzgerald was the first woman elected Secretary of an Australian State Trades and Labor Council in 1995.
• Jim Bacon was Secretary from 1989, before entering the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1996 and becoming Premier of Tasmania for the period between 1998 and 2004.
• Paul Lennon was Secretary from 1984 before being elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1990, and becoming Premier in 2004.
• Robert Watling (aged 29) was Secretary from 1976 to 1980. Appointed as a Tasmanian Wages Boards Commissioner from 1980 to 2003, then appointed as a Tasmanian Public Service Commissioner from 2004 to 2016.
• Brian Harradine was Secretary from 1964 to 1976, and entered Federal Parliament where he became Australia's longest serving independent Senator (1975–2005). ^[3]
• John Henry O'Neil was Secretary from 1927 to 1958, then 1962 to 1967, and also secretary of the Eight Hours Day Committee from 1921 to 1967. ^[4]

History

The earliest trade unions in Tasmania were established during the first half of the 19th century, although most of them dissolved within five years. ^[5] The first evidence of organised union activity dates to a printers’ association formed in 1829. ^[6] In the 1830s, unions emerged for specific artisan trades, including bootmaking, tailoring, baking and carpentry. Most unions did not attempt to organise workers across multiple trades until the 1880s. Notable early exceptions included the short-lived Hobart Trades Union (1844–1853) and the Hobart Mercantile Assistants' Association (1847–1855). ^{[5] [6]}

Tasmania's first relatively popular workers' organisations were the Hobart Trades & Labor Council, formed in 1883, and the Launceston Trades and Labor Council, founded in 1889. ^[6] In 1917, the former became known as the Hobart Trades Hall Council. The Devonport Trades and Labor Council established itself in 1945. In 1968, the separate Trades Halls of Hobart, Launceston and Devonport amalgamated as the Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. "PREMIER'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RECOVERY ADVISORY COUNCIL – First phase consultation" (PDF). Unions Tasmania. June 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 March 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
2. "Jessica Munday Archives". The Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
3. "Former Senator Brian Harradine". Parliament of Australia . Retrieved 23 November 2025.
4. A. Smith, Bruce (5 February 2002) [25 June 2001]. "O'Neill, John Henry - Biographical entry". Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
5. Quinlan, Michael; Lindley, Margaret (2017). "Party: Trade Unions". The Companion to Tasmanian History. University of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
6. "History of the Tasmanian Union Movement". Health & Community Services Union. Archived from the original on 18 March 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.

External links

• Official website
• ACTU National Union Directory
• The Advocate – Tasmanian unions not happy with government's boosted wage offer (subscription required)