A union is an organisation made up of people working in a particular industry, for example, teachers in public schools, or retail workers, or hospitality workers. The union represents the interests of its members, mainly through negotiating pay and conditions at work, but also assisting with resolving disputes, or in other matters which the members of the union decide.
Every generation of workers has a right to enjoy the conditions and benefits that have been won by previous generations. It's sometimes easy to assume that things like equal pay for men and women, maternity leave, long service leave, sick leave, Occupational Health and Safety laws, anti-discrimination laws have always existed, or that they have been bestowed, unprompted by generous governments or employers.
However, in each case, and in other achievements, unions have played a leading role in campaigning and fighting for better conditions and entitlements.
Here are some of the great achievements of Australian unions over the past 100 years.