Wharfies: A History of the Waterside Worker's Federation

'Wharfies' traces the history of the Australian Waterside Workers Federation from its foundation in 1902, under Billy Hughes up to the 1980s. Made in the tradition of the Waterside Workers Film Unit of the 1950s, 'Wharfies' covers important historical events.
Wharfies: A History of the Waterside Worker's Federation (1988) is just one of the many films that we are digitising. Discover more about the process on our website.
Detailed catalogue entry information: collections.acm...

[@charris939]

Thanks for loading on RUclips:) Very interesting hearing the stories of a previous generation. I used to lump bags of wheat, Superphosphate and wool bales in my youth working on my parents farm, but not all day every day. So i have a bit of an idea of what was involved. I have only ever been in a couple of Unions in my life and they were practically impotent. I'm now self employed. I feel the Union movements lost their way by becoming involved in splinter politic issues and are more of a lobby group arm of the Labor Left than an advocate for workers.

[@theBigLubarski_1977]

Much respect to these hard-working Aussies.

[@theBigLubarski_1977]

Thank you for this interesting bit of Australian history.
I'm a Teamster (for the 2nd time), here in the US.

[@user-di7ww6pm3c]

5 star documentary.

[@Eric-steele]

"WORK"

[@geoffbell166]

What about all the gangsters and the rackets and the thieving going on...lol

[@charliroper8601]

and you know this how?

[@geoffbell166]

From delivering stuff to wharfs and loading ships in the 80s, the Painters and Dockers were gangsters they had people shot and no one seen a thing,and for good reason,you keep your mouth shut....

[@rayzorray2437]

@@charliroper8601 everyone knows this

[@alansivkoff282]

Look up your history books, Hawke disbanded the painters & dockers union for exactly their criminal activities.

[@alansivkoff282]

You gloss over the bastardry, nepotism and outright thievery of the painters & dockers, wharfies. Also, don’t forget of the outright traitorous efforts of the wharfies during ww2 and the Vietnam wars who sabotaged equipment destined for Australian troops overseas.

[@mataafa1]

It was voted on by members and majority ruled that members would not support any “war” therefore would not work ships that had cargo helping the war it didn’t pick any sides in the vote simply the act alone