Union of Australian Women (1950 - )

Established in 1950, the Union of Australian Women is a left-wing social change organisation. Its aim is to work for the status and wellbeing of women across the world

The Union of Australian Women (UAW) was established at a conference in Sydney in August 1950. The New South Wales branch was the first to be formed, with other state branches forming in quick succession. The state branches came together in 1956 to establish a national organisation.

Foundation members included communists, Labour Party supporters, Christian activists, and members of the New Housewives' Association. Early goals included improving the status of women and children, disarmament and a halt to nuclear testing and mining, equal distribution of wealth, increased welfare services, equal pay for women, equality for Indigenous Australians, abortion law reform, and opposition to the White Australia Policy. Current campaigns concern child care, woman and family friendly workplaces, health and housing, outworkers, reconciliation and Indigenous rights.

Member

• Bacon, Eva (1909 - 1994)
• Conway, Josephine (1920 - 2007)
• Curthoys, Barbara (1924 - 2000)

  Secretary of Newcastle branch 1954-60, Elected to National body 1969, 63, 70

  [1954 - 2000]

• D'Ambrosio, Lily (1964 - )
• Eldridge, Marian Favel Clair (1936 - 1997)
• Fisher, Elizabeth M. (1925 - )
• Greville, Henrietta (1861 - 1964)
• Hirsh, Carolyn Dorothy (1937 - )
• Horsfield, Dorothy (1948 - )
• Oke, Marjorie (Marj) Elizabeth (1911 - 2003)

Membership

• CAPOW!, Coalition of Australian Participating Organisations of Women (1992 - )
• Smith, Marjorie Irene (1911 - 1996)

Related Corporate Bodies

• New Housewives' Association (1946 - 1950)
• Panhellenic Women's Movement (1977 - )

Books

• Women and wages in the war years 1940-1945 : Sheetmetal Workers' Union, Union of Australian Women, Sydney, 1982, 36 pp. [ Details... ]
• Curthoys, B. (Barbara) and McDonald, Audrey, More Than a Hat and Glove Brigade: The Story of the Union of Australian Women, Bookpress, Sydney, 1996, 179 pp. [ Details... ]
• Suzanne Fabian, Morag Loh, Left-wing ladies : the union of Australian women in Victoria 1950-1998, Hyland House, Flemington, Vic, 2000, 196 pp. [ Details... ]
• Young, Pam, Daring to take a stand : the story of the Union of Australian Women in Queensland, Wavell Heights, Qld., 1998. [ Details... ]

Newsletters

• The Journal of the Union of Australian Women, Union of Australian Women, Queensland Branch/Queensland Housewives League, Brisbane, 1949-1953. [ Details... ]
• UAW News, Union of Australian Women, Queensland Branch., Brisbane, 1954-1999. [ Details... ]

Videos

• Shona Stephen and Judith Womersley, Apron strings and atom bombs, Video Classroom, Melbourne, 1996. [ Details... ]

See also

• Daniels, Kay, Uphill all the way, University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, Qld, 1980, 335 pp. [ Details... ]