It met fierce opposition from the union movement, resulting in the case lingering before the industrial registrar for three years.
The union spoke openly about what they viewed as their need to remain non-political and non-partisan because of their "duty to comply with the directions and tender loyal service to whatever Government might be in power".
In 1928 announced its opposition to the employment of women for other than mechanical office work, and in 1931 it advocated female typists being fired before male clerks faced further rationing.
[17][18] In 1947, the union renamed itself the Australasian Transport Officers' Federation and sought to expand its coverage to include air, road and railway employees, although membership at first remained constitutionally limited to "transport officers of the Crown.
[3][24][25][26] In 1979, the union placed a "black ban" on independent NSW state MP John Hatton after he called for an inquiry into alleged corruption in the transport department, resulting in a parliamentary resolution rebuking the union and an end to the ban.
[29] In April 1991, the Transport Officers' Federation voted to merge with the Municipal Officers Association of Australia and the Technical Service Guild of Australia to form the Australian Municipal Transport Energy Water Ports Community & Information Services Union.