Communication Workers Union of Australia

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The Communication Workers Union of Australia is a trade union in Australia. It is a division of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union of Australia, and is affiliated with Union Network International.

The CEPU has emerged as a national Union representing workers in the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Industries. The CEPU was formed in 1994 as the result of an amalgamation between the Communication Workers Union of Australia [CWU], the Electrical Trades Union [ETU] and the Plumbing and Gasfitters Employees Union of Australia (now known as the Plumbing Trades Employees Union [PTEU]. Combined, the Union currently represents over 170,000 workers Australia wide.

The Communications Division, Postal & Telecommunications Group had it's roots grounded from the CWU, predominantly from the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union [the APTU]. The APTU holds it's origins in the Australian Letter Carriers' Association and the Australian Telegraph, Telephone Construction & Maintenance Union [later known as the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia] which were both registered federally in 1912. In 1924 the Australian Letter Carriers' Association changed its name to the Commonwealth Public Service Fourth Division Employees' Union of Australia only to amalgamate a year later with the Postal Sorters' Union of Australia and the Australian Postal Linesmen Union of Australia to form the Amalgamated Postal Linesmen Sorters' & Letter Carriers' Union of Australia. From 1926 it was known as the Amalgamated Postal Workers' Union [APWU], covering postmen, sorters and linesmen. The APWU served until 1974 when it changed its’ name to the Australian Postal & Telecommunications Union as a result of a further amalgamation with the Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists. From 1990 the Union amalgamated with the Australian Postmasters’ Association and later the Postal Supervisory Officers' Association to eventually be known as the Communication Workers’ Union and later to be joined by the Australian Telecommunications Employees Association/Australian Telephone & Phonogram Officers Association [ATEA/ATPOA] and the Telecommunication Officers Association [TOA]. By 1994 the CWU had merged with the Electrical Electronic Plumbing & Allied Workers Union of Australia [the end product of a merger between the ETU and the PTEU] to form the Communications Electrical Electronic Energy Information Postal Plumbing & Allied Services Union of Australia.

[edit] External links

• CWU National Office official site.
• CEPU NSW Postal & Telecommunications Branch Official Site. Jim Metcher - State Secretary

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