Mural 1: History of the Waterfront

Artists’ statement

Waterside workers in Sydney formed the Labouring Men’s Union in 1872, which 10 years later became the Sydney Wharf Labourers’ Union. It was the first union to represent the interests of waterfront workers in Pyrmont and Woolloomooloo.

The early years of the union were difficult. Company unions and ‘scab’ labour were used to break fledgling union efforts to secure improved wages and conditions for its members, all who worked in extremely dangerous, unhealthy, underpaid and insecure conditions. But by 1902 membership had risen to more than 2,000 when Billy Hughes (later prime minister) was the union’s general secretary.

Work conditions included 24-hour and even 48-hour shifts, without dining rooms, change rooms or first aid. Conditions also included the infamous ‘bull’ system, where foremen selected the strongest, fittest and ‘least troublesome men’ each morning to get a ‘starting docket’ for a day’s work on the wharves.

The defeat of the bull system in 1943 and the start of the gang scheme by the union led a new era for waterside workers, where by 1972 the 35-hour week was achieved. In 1982 almost all port activity was transferred to Port Botany.