Auckland Tailoresses' Union Letter Book, 1893 - 1909
Description: Auckland Tailoresses' Union - Letter book, 1893 - 1899, 1909. The Tailoresses’ Union was the first women’s union in New Zealand founded in Dunedin in 1889. Later that year a representative was sent to Auckland assist in the formation of a Tailoresses' union in that centre. Initially governed by an all male committee, in 1891 Harriet Morison became the DTU secretary, alongside 13 other women on its executive. She visited Auckland in 1892 to spread awareness of the Union and its ideas around working conditions and wages. Despite the apprehension of Auckland Tailoresses, by the end of Morison’s visit, 306 workers had joined the Auckland Union. According to reports however, the Auckland chapter limped on over the years, never quite having the same gusto as the Dunedin chapter and reportedly working conditions there continued to be terrible. While the Dunedin Union was strong and had local support, this was not the case in Auckland. Newspapers reported that working conditions and wages were as bad here as in the infamous London Sweatshops. In fact, when the first sweating commission sat in Auckland in March, 1890 they reported that girls were sometimes taken on for 12 months without wages and when they asked for wages, were told to take a 'holiday' which effectively meant dismissal. The commission reported that it was difficult to get evidence as girls were 'terrified' of retribution from employees. Despite this, as an organisation with logs all over the country the Tailoresses' Union was a key force when it came to gathering signatures for the suffrage petitions. Circulated nation-wide in 1891 and 1892, many of the signatures are owed to the promotion of the campaign among the working women of New Zealand by Harriet Morison.
Collection: DOCUMENTARY HERITAGEDescription: Auckland Tailoresses' Union - Letter book, 1893 - 1899, 1909. The Tailoresses’ Union was the first women’s union in New Zealand founded in Dunedin in 1889. Later that year a…