People Australia

Florence Anderson née Meyer (1871-1949) trade union official

Born: 17 February 1871, Bairnsdale, Victoria. Married: John Anderson, 1911. They had three children. Died: 18 December 1949, Richmond, Melbourne, Victoria.

• First female trade union secretary in Victoria;
• one of only two female secretaries of state branches of Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union (FMWU) to present day.
• Began working life as school teacher. Became office cleaner after death of husband;
• rebelled from expectation that cleaners take office towels home to launder.
• Secretary, Female Office Cleaners Union from 1916 (part-time) and full time (1919).
• 1930, elected Victorian Secretary of Miscellaneous Workers Union holding office until 1946; Federal Councillor of union.
• Delegate to VTHC,  ACTU, and ALP.
• Active in campaign for equal pay with Muriel Heagney, Jean Daley and Margaret Wearne. A 'big strong woman', 'the iron hand in the velvet glove, that type of lady'.

Sources
ANU Archives Deposit 2370/ box 70; Labor Call, 18 April 1940, 18 April 1946; Federation News, July 1985, December 1990; Merrifield papers; Margo Beasley, The Missos: a history of the Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union (Sydney, 1996).