Women's Brigade (Broken Hill)

[6] Women and children found life in the mining town harsh, yet fought alongside the miners in favour of the union goals despite the hardship prolonged strikes caused to family welfare.

[10] Broken Hill's first mining strike occurred in 1889 as a result of the trade union ultimatum that members not be made to work with non-unionised workers.

[14] The brigade now numbers 400 members, many of whom took part in the famous sweeping affair at the Moonta and Wallaroo mines 15 years ago.

[12]The Women's Brigade was very active in using direct action methods against the imported contract labour during the 1892 Broken Hill miners' strike.

[6][15] According to Bloodworth (1996), there were daily mass rallies and the Barrier United Females' Strike Protest Committee was formed in the initial weeks.