People Australia

William Ainsworth (1875-1945) politician

Born 16 June 1875, Lambton, New South Wales. Son of John Ainsworth, schoolmaster and Sarah nee McKean. Never married. Died: 7 February 1945, Vaucluse, Sydney, New South Wales. Religion: Church of England.

• Fireman and engine driver. Employed in NSW Railways Department. c. 1894, casually; 1900-03, cleaner; 1903-1911, fireman; 1911, driver.
• Joined NSW Locomotive, Engine-drivers, Firemen and Cleaners Association (later Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen); NSW Secretary, 1911-1935, resigned due to ill-health;
• member 1917 Strike Committee.
• ALP MLC, 1925-1934, assisting union’s use of parliament as a forum for union’s grievances.
• 1929, put case against restoring seniority of scabs from 1917 strike. ‘In Parliament he was not often heard, but when he had occasion to speak, as he did on the restoration of seniority for locomotive enginemen affected by the strike, in the whole history of which he was steeped, he was always assured of a closely attentive hearing by a full and respectful House’.

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearrit and Elizabeth Hinton, Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); Railway and Tramway Officers’ Gazette, 20 November 1935; Locomotive Journal, 8 March 1945; Greg Patmore, A history of industrial relations in the NSW Government Railways (PhD thesis University of Sydney, 1985).