Historical information

The 1890 Maritime Strike: marine officers walked out because shipowners would not negotiate terms and conditions of employment whilst the Mercantile Marine Officers' Association was affiliated with the Victorian Trades Hall Council. Union officials proposed to disaffiliate on the condition that employers would agree to meet and reach a compromise with union delegates. The shipowners refusal to meet triggered strike action.

Significance

The Maritime Strike demonstrates an historical example of an employer's attempt to undermine workplace unionism. Parallels (i.e. employers attempting to weaken union power) have been drawn between this and the Australian waterfront dispute of 1998.

Physical description

Paper in folder.