The Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) was an Australian trade union that existed from 1911 until 1972, and from 1976 until 1986, when it was permanently deregistered in various Australian states by the federal Hawke Labor government and some state governments of the time.[1] This occurred in the wake of a Royal Commission into corruption by the union. About the same time, BLF federal secretary Norm Gallagher was jailed for corrupt dealings after receiving bribes from building companies that he used to build a beach house.[2]
They also took up other causes, such as Aboriginal rights, anti-war campaigns and support for pensioners. The BLF had a long-standing programme on Radio 3CR, "The Concrete Gang", which is now presented by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. One of the original announcers for the BLF was John Cummins.
Work-ins
The BLF also helped organise a number of "work-ins" across Australia, where workers would take over a site for a few weeks and run it under workers' control. Some notable examples include:
The federal union under Norm Gallagher faced many protests initially when it intervened in the affairs of the N.S.W. branch of the union in the mid-seventies. Many of the democratic measures installed by the N.S.W. branch leadership by Jack Mundey, Bob Pringle, Joe Owens and others were scrapped and many of the democratically imposed green bans were lifted. Officials of the N.S.W. branch eventually urged members to join the imposed branch, but were themselves blacklisted from the industry by federal union officials. The federal takeover of the N.S.W. branch was instrumental in calling off many of the imposed green bans and the cancellation of the union's commitment to fighting for permanence in the building industry.[4]
BLF in Queensland
The BLF existed in Queensland as a state registered union (known as the Australian Building Construction Employees and Builders' Labourers' Federation (Queensland Branch) Union of Employees). The Queensland BLF was a part of the national BLF prior to the de-registration and was not as radical or militant as the branches in Victoria and New South Wales were perceived to be.
Whilst the BLF is usually associated with the left of the political spectrum, the Queensland BLF was historically aligned with the right faction of the Australian Labor Party. The Queensland BLF was a member of the Labor Unity faction which is sometimes referred to as the Old Guard. The Labor Unity Faction often votes with the "right" faction (also known as the AWU or Forum faction) at state Labor conferences.
On 16 October 2013, at the CFMEU Construction National Conference in Cairns, BLF secretary David Hanna and left-wing CFMEU Queensland (Construction Division) secretary Michael Ravbar announced the two unions would be merging.[5] The merger was finalised in 2014.
Slogan
The federal BLF slogan, taken from a saying of Mao Zedong, was "Dare to struggle, Dare to win".[citation needed]
^"Federal Register of Legislation – Australian Government". www.legislation.gov.au.
^"PM – Union boss Norm Gallagher dies at 68". www.abc.net.au.
^Ness, Immanuel (2014). New Forms of Worker Organization: The Syndicalist and Autonomist Restoration of Class Struggle Unionism – Chapter 10: Doing without the boss: Workers' Control Experiments in Australia in the 1970s.
^John Tully Green Bans and the BLF: the labour movement and urban ecology IV Online magazine : IV357 – March 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2008
^. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
Further reading
Boyd, Brian (1991). Inside the BLF: a union self-destructs (1st ed.). Melbourne: Ocean. ISBN1-875284-44-3. OCLC 25659190.
Builders' labourers' song book. Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders' Labourers' Federation. Camberwell, Vic.: Widescope in association with Australian Building Construction Employees' and Builders' Labourers' Federation. 1975. ISBN0-86932-010-6. OCLC 3414495.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
External links
Green Bans: Campaigns to Protect the Environment
Australian Trade Union Archives entry: Australian Builders Labourers Federation (1911–1972)
How to build a trade union – an article on the BLF in Queensland
January 29, 2023
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The Builders Labourers Federation BLF was an Australian trade union that existed from 1911 until 1972 and from 1976 until 1986 when it was permanently deregistered in various Australian states by the federal Hawke Labor government and some state governments of the time 1 This occurred in the wake of a Royal Commission into corruption by the union About the same time BLF federal secretary Norm Gallagher was jailed for corrupt dealings after receiving bribes from building companies that he used to build a beach house 2 BLFQBuilders Labourers Federation QueenslandMerged intoConstruction Forestry Mining and Energy UnionFounded1910HeadquartersBrisbane QLDLocationAustraliaKey peopleDavid Hanna State Secretary Kane Pearson State Assistant Secretary AffiliationsALPFemale members of the NSW Builders Labourers Federation march on International Women s Day in Sydney 1975 Contents 1 Social and economic justice 1 1 Work ins 2 NSW branch intervention 3 BLF in Queensland 4 Slogan 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksSocial and economic justice EditThe BLF fought successful campaigns which became known as the green bans against development projects which it viewed as harmful to the built and natural environment of Sydney and Melbourne These campaigns included blocking plans to redevelop The Rocks area Kelly s Bush in Hunters Hill Centennial Park the City Baths Flinders Street Station and the Hotel Windsor The green bans are now commonly recognised as directly responsible for saving areas of Sydney and Melbourne with substantial heritage value Victoria Hall in Fremantle Western Australia was also saved from demolition by a green ban in 1974 They also took up other causes such as Aboriginal rights anti war campaigns and support for pensioners The BLF had a long standing programme on Radio 3CR The Concrete Gang which is now presented by the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union One of the original announcers for the BLF was John Cummins Work ins Edit The BLF also helped organise a number of work ins across Australia where workers would take over a site for a few weeks and run it under workers control Some notable examples include 1972 Sydney Opera House 1974 Wyong Plaza 3 NSW branch intervention EditThe federal union under Norm Gallagher faced many protests initially when it intervened in the affairs of the N S W branch of the union in the mid seventies Many of the democratic measures installed by the N S W branch leadership by Jack Mundey Bob Pringle Joe Owens and others were scrapped and many of the democratically imposed green bans were lifted Officials of the N S W branch eventually urged members to join the imposed branch but were themselves blacklisted from the industry by federal union officials The federal takeover of the N S W branch was instrumental in calling off many of the imposed green bans and the cancellation of the union s commitment to fighting for permanence in the building industry 4 BLF in Queensland EditThe BLF existed in Queensland as a state registered union known as the Australian Building Construction Employees and Builders Labourers Federation Queensland Branch Union of Employees The Queensland BLF was a part of the national BLF prior to the de registration and was not as radical or militant as the branches in Victoria and New South Wales were perceived to be Whilst the BLF is usually associated with the left of the political spectrum the Queensland BLF was historically aligned with the right faction of the Australian Labor Party The Queensland BLF was a member of the Labor Unity faction which is sometimes referred to as the Old Guard The Labor Unity Faction often votes with the right faction also known as the AWU or Forum faction at state Labor conferences On 16 October 2013 at the CFMEU Construction National Conference in Cairns BLF secretary David Hanna and left wing CFMEU Queensland Construction Division secretary Michael Ravbar announced the two unions would be merging 5 The merger was finalised in 2014 Slogan EditThe federal BLF slogan taken from a saying of Mao Zedong was Dare to struggle Dare to win citation needed See also Edit Organized labour portalReferences Edit Federal Register of Legislation Australian Government www legislation gov au PM Union boss Norm Gallagher dies at 68 www abc net au Ness Immanuel 2014 New Forms of Worker Organization The Syndicalist and Autonomist Restoration of Class Struggle Unionism Chapter 10 Doing without the boss Workers Control Experiments in Australia in the 1970s John Tully Green Bans and the BLF the labour movement and urban ecology IV Online magazine IV357 March 2004 Retrieved 18 August 2008 Workers are the winners in merger of CFMEU branches in Queensland CFMEU National Archived from the original on 17 November 2015 Further reading EditBoyd Brian 1991 Inside the BLF a union self destructs 1st ed Melbourne Ocean ISBN 1 875284 44 3 OCLC 25659190 Builders labourers song book Australian Building Construction Employees and Builders Labourers Federation Camberwell Vic Widescope in association with Australian Building Construction Employees and Builders Labourers Federation 1975 ISBN 0 86932 010 6 OCLC 3414495 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link External links EditBook Review Liz Ross Dare to Struggle Dare to Win Builders Labourers Fight Deregistration 1981 1994 Green Bans Campaigns to Protect the Environment Australian Trade Union Archives entry Australian Builders Labourers Federation 1911 1972 How to build a trade union an article on the BLF in Queensland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Builders Labourers Federation amp oldid 1130651470, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
