Fremantle Lumpers Union

Sailing ships Fremantle Harbour 1899
Thomas Edwards' funeral cortege outside Fremantle Trades Hall[1]

The Fremantle Lumpers Union was a trade union formed in 1889[2][3] and active until 1946 when it became part of the Waterside Workers' Federation, Fremantle Branch. It was the first union to represent unskilled workers formed in Western Australia.[3][4]

The union was formed in 1889 to represent unskilled workers on the Fremantle wharves when the Adelaide Lumpers' Union started a recruiting drive to the west. Many workers joined, thought to be inspired by the London Dock strike of 1889 and the solidarity shown between the workers.[3] The inaugural secretary of the union was Mr. Clifford.

The president of the Union in 1890 was Arthur James Diamond, the vice-president was T. Smith, and the secretary was J. Scott.[5] Diamond left the union in 1891 to head to the eastern states of Australia.[6]

J.P. Rasmussen was the secretary of the union in 1895.[7] The lumpers went on strike in 1899[8] as a result of non-union labour being used on the wharf;[9] the strike lasted for over four weeks.[10] Rasmussen remained as secretary until 1899 when he left the position.[11]

The union was involved in the 1919 Fremantle Wharf riot when the state had been isolated by an outbreak of the influenza virus and a waterside workers strike. Premier Hal Colebatch, had intervened in a dispute involving the unloading of a coastal trader, SS Dimboola. The violence escalated when Lumpers Union members threw missiles at a launch carrying Colebatch and strikebreakers who were attempting to start unloading the vessel. Police retaliated and shots were fired. During the violence a lumper named Tom Edwards was fatally injured and died three days later.[12]

In 1910 the Lumpers Union joined the Waterside Workers' Federation but broke way again in 1933 following a dispute with the Federation executive over collection of union dues. They reaffiliated in 1946.[3]

In Fremantle Cemetery there are 39 headstones that were erected by, or with assistance from, the Union.[13]

  1. ^ "Funeral cortege of Thomas Edwards, Fremantle Trades Hall, 1919". 1919. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  2. ^ "General News". The Inquirer and Commercial News. No. 1505. Western Australia. 2 July 1890. p. 7. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ a b c d "Fremantle Lumpers' Union". Australian National University. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Fremantle Lumpers Union (1889 - 1919)". Australian Trade Union Archives. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  5. ^ "General News". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. L, no. 1507. Western Australia. 9 July 1890. p. 6. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "The Fremantle Lumpers and Mr. A.J. Diamond". The Inquirer and Commercial News. Vol. LI, no. 1616. Western Australia. 26 June 1891. p. 4. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Eight hours union in West Australia". Weekly Herald. Vol. I, no. 50. South Australia. 20 September 1895. p. 4. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "The Lumpers' strike". The West Australian. Vol. 15, no. 4, 060. Western Australia. 6 March 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "The Lumpers' strike". The West Australian. Vol. 15, no. 4, 080. Western Australia. 29 March 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "The Lumpers' strike". The West Australian. Vol. 15, no. 4, 074. Western Australia. 22 March 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "News and notes". The West Australian. Vol. 15, no. 4, 310. Western Australia. 25 December 1899. p. 4. Retrieved 14 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Tom Edwards". Monuments Australia. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  13. ^ "Fremantle Cemetery". Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc. 8 July 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2016.