Federated Engine-Drivers and Firemen's Association of Australasia v Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd

The Federated Engine-Drivers and Firemen's Association of Australasia (the applicant) sought to register as an organisation under the *Industrial Arbitration Act 1911* (NSW). The Broken Hill Pty Co Ltd (the respondent) objected to this registration. The matter came before the Industrial Registrar, and subsequently, an appeal was lodged with the Industrial Court of New South Wales.

The primary legal issue before the Industrial Court was whether the applicant association qualified for registration as an industrial union of employees under the Act. This involved determining whether the association was a genuine organisation of employees and whether it had the necessary industrial interests to warrant registration, particularly in light of the respondent's objections concerning the scope of its membership and the existence of a genuine industrial dispute.

The Court considered the definition of "industry" within the context of the Act and the requirements for an association to be considered an organisation of employees. It was held that the Act did not require an organisation to be exclusively composed of employees within a single industry, but rather that its members should be employees engaged in or in connection with industries. The Court also examined the evidence presented to establish the existence of a dispute, finding that the applicant had demonstrated a sufficient basis for its claim to represent employees in a relevant industrial context, thereby satisfying the criteria for registration.