"The Association of Draughting, Supervisory & Technical Employees grew out of the Association of Architects Engineers Surveyors and Draughtsmen of Australia [AESDA]. The union was formed in Brisbane in 1915 and was registered in the Industrial Court of Queensland in 1917. By 1944 there were branches in New South Wales and Victoria and the AESDA was able to gain federal registration. It included within its scope members of the deregistered Australian Association of Draughtsmen (1948) and the Federation of Scientific and Technical Workers (1971). The title Association of Draughting Supervisory and Technical Employees [ADSTE] was adopted in 1981. Following a 1986 amalgamation with the Australian Public Service Artisans' Association, ADSTE amalgamated again in 1991 with the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union to form the Metals and Engineering Workers' Union. Two years later a further amalgamation with the Vehicle Builders Employees' Federation of Australia resulted in the Automotive Metals & Engineering Union. Finally in 1994 this union merged with the Confectionery Workers & Food Preservers' Union to form the Automotive Food Metals & Engineering Union."

References:
Australian Trade Union Archives website http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE0086b.htm

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