Industrial Groups

The Industrial Groups were groups formed by the Australian Labor Party in the late 1940s, to combat Communist Party influence in the trade unions [1].

In 1941 B.A. Santamaria founded the Catholic Social Studies Movement, generally known simply as "the Movement". The Movement quickly gained a large influence in the Industrial Groups. Members of these groups were informally called 'Groupers'.

Under the influence of the Movement, the Groupers opposed not just the Communist Party, but elements within the Labor Party who they believed were insufficiently opposed to communism. [2]

Opposition to the Industrial Groups by Labor leader 'Doc' Evatt led to a split in the Labor Party, with many 'Groupers' resigning or being expelled, and the formation of the Democratic Labor Party.