Following the lead of Britain from where many of the original settlers came, workers in various occupations banded together to form unions. Ship writers, boat builders, tailors, bakers and carpenters were among the first craft unions form in Australia before 1848.

By forming an association workers could obtain better wages and working conditions. However the employers wanted the highest profit margins so wished to keep wages low and spend little money on the working environment. The law of supply and demand in the labour market often determined which group was dominant.

A third factor in the balance in Australia was the government. A successful strike by newspaper workers in 1829 for better wages and conditions resulted in the Masters and Servants Act being implemented which discriminated against the workers, who could be gaoled for minor revolts.

Early in the colony, skilled labours were in short supply but in the 1840's after active promotion of emigrants by......

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Title: History Of Unions And Their Relevance In Today's Society
Approximate Word Count: 1421
Approximate Pages: 6 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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