Blacksmiths' Society of Australia explained

The Blacksmiths' Society of Australia was an Australian trade union which existed from 1911 to 1965.

It was established in late 1911 as a federation of pre-existing state unions under the name of the Blacksmiths' Society of Australasia.^[1] The federation occurred amidst bitter demarcation tensions with the Australian Society of Engineers, which saw the ASE successfully oppose the BSA's NSW state registration in a succession of legal battles from their first attempt in May 1912 until 1918 on the basis that the already-registered ASE was capable of representing the BSA's members.^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]} By May 1918, however, the deciding judge held that the BSA's case for independent recognition had been made out, only refusing on the basis that the BSA had participated in the 1917 Australian general strike, which would have seen them deregistered if they had been registered to begin with.^[7] They were finally successful in obtaining NSW registration in August 1918, and then federal registration in December 1919.^{[8] [9]}

The union was renamed the Blacksmiths Society of Australia in 1954.^[10]

It amalgamated with the Boilermakers' Society of Australia in 1965 to form the Boilermakers and Blacksmiths Society of Australia.^[11]

Notes and References

1. News: LABOR NEWS. . . LIV . 16,578 . South Australia . 4 December 1911 . 26 December 2022 . 13 . National Library of Australia.
2. News: Blacksmiths' Society. . . 55 . 79 . New South Wales, Australia . 10 October 1911 . 26 December 2022 . 2 . National Library of Australia.
3. News: GRAFT UNIONISM. . . 580 . New South Wales, Australia . 9 May 1912 . 26 December 2022 . 2 (FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
4. News: LAW REPORT. . . 23,398 . New South Wales, Australia . 7 January 1913 . 26 December 2022 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
5. News: REGISTRATION REFUSED. . . 996 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 September 1913 . 26 December 2022 . 6 (FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
6. News: INDUSTRIAL COURT. . . New South Wales, Australia . 7 May 1918 . 26 December 2022 . 2 (LATEST EDITION) . National Library of Australia.
7. News: TOOK PART IN THE STRIKE . . 2449 . New South Wales, Australia . 7 May 1918 . 26 December 2022 . 5 (FINAL EXTRA) . National Library of Australia.
8. News: INDUSTRIAL. . . 12240 . New South Wales, Australia . 3 August 1918 . 26 December 2022 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
9. News: BLACKSMITHS REGISTERED . . 13,687 . Victoria, Australia . 18 December 1919 . 26 December 2022 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
10. News: NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO THE CHANGE OF NAME OF AN ORGANIZATION. . . 38 . Australia, Australia . 24 June 1954 . 26 December 2022 . 1805 . National Library of Australia.
11. News: Boilermakers' warning . . 1428 . New South Wales, Australia . 6 October 1965 . 26 December 2022 . 3 . National Library of Australia.