Event
| Home | Browse | Search | Previous | Next |
|
|
Australian Women
Event
|
|
Waitresses' strike - Refreshment Services Branch (1925 - ) |
|||
|
|||
| Trade Union | |||
The Refreshment Services Branch waitresses of the Victorian Railways went on strike on Friday, 11 September 1925 in response to the statement made about them by retired naval officer Captain Oswald Carter. Carter, after immigrating to Australia, held a senior post in the railways and reported to the chief of the Refreshment Services Branch that he found [the staff] ‘lazy, dirty and unmanageable.’ He further added: ‘I propose to get in touch with the Immigration Authorities with a view to ascertaining the possibilities of getting suitable servants. I do not think that girls from Melbourne are likely to give satisfaction.’ The waitresses demanded an apology and went on strike until they received one. The Australian Railways Union – Victorian Branch male leadership commenced negotiations on behalf of their members and after two days a satisfactory settlement with management was arranged when an apology was obtained. |
| Sources used to compile this entry: Butler-Bowdon, Eddie, In the service? : a history of Victorian Railways workers and their union, Hyland House, South Yarra, Vic., 1991 pp. 93-94. | |
| |
Related Corporate Bodies | |
| Top of Page | |
| |
See also
| |
|
|
| ||
|
Published by National Foundation for Australian Women on Australian Women's Archives Project Web Site Comments, questions, corrections and additions: awap@womenaustralia.info Prepared by: Acknowledgements Updated: 3 December 2008 http://womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE0646b.htm |