Federated Moulders' (Metals) Union of Australia
This issue was particularly acute during the economic crisis of the 1930s, which greatly weakened the union's bargaining position relative to employers, and during the Second World War, when the federal government sought to rapidly increase output in the metal manufacturing industry.
[6]: 273 An early instance of industrial unrest in the trade occurred in 1861 when ironmoulders at the Sydney foundry of P. N. Russell & Company went on strike after being refused overtime rates when working in excess of eight hours per day.
[7] These state-based unions became largely inactive during the 1890s depression, due to the decline in employment among moulders, but began to recover towards the end of the decade.
[10] Over time, and as technology within foundries developed, an ever-increasing proportion of work was performed by semi-skilled machine operators, leading to the tradesmen moulders becoming increasingly isolated within the industry.
[16] In June 1935 the NSW executives of the FMMUA and the Federated Ironworkers Association (FIA) formed a foundry workers' joint management committee in Sydney which worked to increase union density in the industry.
[14]: 240 In March 1937 the Metal Trades Employers' Association (MTEA) launched a lockout of foundry workers aimed at ending the overtime embargo.
[17]: 39 [14]: 241 During the late 1930s the FMMUA also initiated a campaign to obtain compensation for foundry workers diagnosed with silicosis, caused by inhaling the fine sand used to make moulds for casting.
[14]: 269 [18] These measures were actively pursued by the government in an attempt to overcome manpower shortages caused by the enlistment of men into the armed forces and the rapidly increasing demand for industrial production.
[18] In the same year the union voted overwhelmingly to refuse membership to female coremakers employed at Metters Limited, on the basis that it could lead to reductions in the basic pay rate for male moulders.
The union was heavily involved in advocating for government support for the industry, including submissions to the Tariff Board, albeit with little success, and by 1973 membership had fallen to 4,000.
[6] The union was also active in opposing the penal clauses of the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and refused to pay fines imposed on it for undertaking strikes.
[22] During the early 1970s the NSW, Victorian and Queensland branches of the FMMUA supported the Moratorium Movement in opposition to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War.
[14]: 274–275 In the late 1960s the FMMUA participated in discussions with the AEU, the Boilermakers and Blacksmiths Society of Australia and the Sheet Metal Working Industrial Union regarding amalgamation.
