On 15 May 1969, the Victorian Tramways union leader Clarrie O’Shea was jailed by the industrial court for refusing to allow it access to the union’s accounts. The union had been fined under anti-union penal powers for undertaking industrial action. The jailing triggered a wave of strikes across Australia with around one million workers taking part until O’Shea was freed six days later.
To learn more about the history of campaigns by Australian unions visit- /activism-and-campaign-history/#Union_campaigns
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Today is May Day, the international commemoration of workers' struggle. As part of global marches celebrating workers’ power and protesting the sentencing of Chicago labour activists to death Australian anarchists and other radicals held Australia’s first May Day celebrations in 1887. The shift from private to public events occurred with a march in Brisbane in 1891 and then one in Melbourne in 1892. Thereafter May Day grew in importance and size across Australia as an annual event.
Sydney's 1971 May Day march saw unionists carrying placards and banners demanding wage justice and better working conditions while also expressing solidarity with a range of campaigns and communities near and far. These photos appear courtesy of the @searchfoundation and the State Library of NSW. To read more the history of union activism for social change visit /activism-and-campaign-history/#Union_campaigns
On 19 April 1980 thousands of anti-nuclear protesters marched through Sydney to mark the first anniversary of the Three Mile Island disaster. This had seen a partial meltdown of a nuclear reactor near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania which came close to being a major catastrophe. The event focused minds on the dangers associated with all aspects of the nuclear cycle and prompted this protest regarding a range of issues, including uranium mining and the role of US bases in Australia in any future nuclear war.
To learn more the history of anti-nuclear protests in Australia visit- /activism-and-campaign-history/#Anti-uranium_and_nuclear_power_campaigns
After years of agitation Irish republicans based in the United States raised enough money to send the merchant ship the Catalpa to West Australia to rescue six Fenian revolutionaries transported to Australia for opposing British rule over Ireland. The conspiracy to free the men first placed undercover agents, James Breslin and Thomas Desmond, in the colony. Discovering that there were two other groups plotting to free the convicts they took on the role of coordinating the efforts of all Irish sympathisers in the area. Posing as an American investor Breslin toured the prison where the Fenians were held.
Before the Catalpa arrived the prisoners managed to convince their gaolers to allow them to work outside the prison walls and the authorities agreed, figuring that caught between the ocean, the colony and the bush the men had nowhere to go.
Come 17 April 1876, when most of the colony was attending an annual Easter boat regatta, the six were picked up and rushed by horse and buggy to nearby Rockingham where a whaleboat awaited. With telegraph wires cut by supporters, some of whom were later arrested, much time passed before the authorities in Perth were informed of the escape. Braving a storm and eluding pursuers the whaleboat reached the Catalpa by the following day.
The rebel ship was at one point caught by a British steamer, which fired across its bow and ordered it to surrender. The Catalpa’s captain responded by unfurling the ship’s American flag, daring the British to fire again. Fearful of creating an international incident, the steamer withdrew allowing the escapees to travel to New York where they were met by thousands of supporters.
To learn more about the history of small actions and major events which challenged the state of Australian society visit- /from-little-things-big-things-grow-events-that-changed-australia/
On 31 March 1985, more than 300 000 people joined in Palm Sunday rallies for peace and a nuclear free Australia. Sydney had the largest march, which drew an estimated 170 000 people and Melbourne saw 100 000 rally. All major cities saw large turnouts while smaller towns ranging from Coffs Harbour to Newman also held protests. Demonstrators in Hobart protested against the threat posed to the city by having had 12 nuclear powered or armed warships visit in the previous two years. These photos from that march are provided courtesy of the @searchfoundation and State Library of NSW.
To read more about the history of the Australian peace movement visit /activism-and-campaign-history/#Peace_activism
