People Australia

Imelda Cashman, 1935

Labor Daily (Sydney), 15 May 1935, p 6

Mel Imelda Cashman (1891-1979) trade union official and arbitration inspector

Birth: 19 November 1891, Gladesville, Sydney, New South Wales, daughter of Edward (Ned) Cashman (1853-1903), publican and Ellen, née Manning (1862-1948); both parents were born in County Cork, Ireland. Unmarried. Death: 11 June 1983 in Colonial Nursing Home, at Bexley, Sydney; usual residence Waratah Street, Bexley. Religion: Catholic. 

• Educated at St Josephs School, Hunters Hill.
• Worked in clothing trade and printing industry, losing her job because employers feared formation of Women and Girls Printing Trades Union. President of this union 1914, secretary 1917 before amalgamation to form the Printing Industries Employees' Union of Australia.
• Organising secretary of Women and Girls Section and from 1918-1940 Cardboard Box and Carton Section. Union Councillor 1920, 1923, 1928, 1939 and delegate to ALP Conference, 1917, 1927.
• Skilled negotiator and persuasive advocate, 'Miss C' opposed sexist wage policies and practices within union and industry.
• Active in social and cultural affairs of union, 'gifted with a mezzo-soprano voice of quality'.
• In 1940 she was appointed Commonwealth arbitration inspector, 1941 was seconded to Department of Labour and National Service to survey conditions in the clothing industry.
• From 1941 to 1944 was Commonwealth representative on Women's Employment Board, resuming appointment as arbitration inspector. Retired in 1952 after ill health.
• Stood for Australian Labor Party preselection for Senate in 1951.
• Felt that 'the rights of women, like the wrongs of Ireland, still persists and man, tyrant man, is the villain in the piece'.
• Cause of death: cerebro-vascular thrombosis (3 days) and cardio-vascular disease. 

Sources
Heather Radi (ed), 200 Australian Women; a Redress anthology (Sydney, 1988); Labor Daily (Sydney), 13 January 1927; The Printer, 31 August 1928, Printing Trades Journal, August 1940; Edna Ryan and Anne Conlon, Gentle invaders: Australian women at work 1788-1974I (Melboourne 1975); information from S. Tracey 1997.