NRS-5555 | Rural Worker Accommodation files [Rural Workers' Accommodation Section, Industrial Relations]

These files document rural accommodation provided for workers in the pastoral (shearers, station hands, station cooks) and fruit (including nuts), vegetable, grape, cotton and tobacco growing industries. Historically, rural workers in New South Wales were rarely provided with accommodation or amenities, and when such facilities were available they were often of a substandard condition. Concern over the poor working conditions endured by shearers and other rural workers led to the introduction of the Shearers’ Accommodation Act 1901 (Act No.74, 1901) and, subsequently, the Rural Workers Accommodation Act 1926 (Act No.23, 1926), which formed the basis of the current Rural Workers Accommodation Act 1969 (Act No.34, 1969). The legislation was aimed at improving the conditions of rural workers by ensuring that their requirements for accommodation and amenities while at work were adequately met.The files consist of memoranda of inspection, inspectors' reports, correspondence, notices that accommodation does not conform to requirements, particulars of accommodation not in compliance and details of measures to be taken to meet requirements. Other examples of documents found on these files include complaints from the Australian Workers Union about particular properties, reports from police regarding property conditions or requests for exemptions, paperwork to prosecute property owners for breach of requirements, photos of accommodation, and excerpts from committee minutes on decisions about property.The files are arranged alphabetically by name of property.