unions that were not affiliated, but who were not above using its prestige to gain their own selfish ends.
That the Federation would welcome those who merely joined in a spirit of pique or to “get even” with the Court, is doubtful. That some disgruntled unions did join there is no gainsaying, but these, like all others, were not admitted unless a ballot of members showed a majority in favour of linking-up.
More and more the Federation officials found their time occupied in the handling of disputes, the rectifying of grievances, and the drafting of new agreements. The detail work of the organisation kept growing at an extraordinary rate.
EXTENDING OUR FRONTIERS
Apart from the coal and metal miners, who were always the backbone of the Federation, the principal industries associated with the organisation were the Shearers (always an unstable quantity), Watersiders, Flaxworkers, and General Labourers. In addition, there were a number of smaller unions in affiliation with it.
The Shearers’ Union, though it decided by a majority vote to become a part of the Federation, never appeared to assimilate the Federation spirit; this may have been due to the seasonable nature of their work making them difficult to reach, or it may have been due to the lukewarmness of the officials. In reality, it was, I would say, a little of both.
One of Organiser Semple’s greatest achievements was the swinging of the waterside workers from the old-fashioned and useless Watersiders’ Federation into the Federation of Labour.
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