7
“Join The Australian Workers Union,” our shearing instructor exhorted. The man was a wizened battler from the bush, a doubled-up former shearer, who kept the remains of a rolled cigarette stuck to his bottom lip, and urged us to get behind the industrial muscle of the union.
“Do that boys, and you won’t go far wrong, cause you will be covered if any of them flaming cockies try to take you for a ride. Lovely life, I wish I was young enough to have another go meself, and that’s the truth. You gotta support your union; they was what won you all the conditions you will enjoy when you are out working your run. I tell the boys to always pay their union dues with a smile. I can recall the days when we worked Saturdays and had lousy quarters. Yous young blokes are going to cop it sweet, becaus
