[1] The union was established on 14 February 1889 by local labour leaders and citizens (all men) of New Zealand who were concerned about conditions and pay for working women and wanted to form a committee to negotiate with employers.
[2] Initially, the union was run by men, but in 1891 Maria Selina Hale became its secretary and 13 other women became executives with her.
It pursued a broad feminist programme, and assisted in the formation of tailoresses’ unions in other centres.
[citation needed] The DTU ceased to exist in June 1945.
This article related to a New Zealand trade union is a stub.