This paper explores the dimensions of political and personal representativeness in the context of Australian unionism in the period since World War Two. The first part of the article is dedicated to an operationalisation of these two concepts within trade unions, paying particular attention to the social origin of union leaders and their democratic accountability. The two dimensions of representativeness generate a two-by-two matrix which allows us to identify four types of union. The bulk of the article is taken up by an assessment of representativeness in Australian unions in relation to this matrix. The article concludes with some consideration of the relationship between the two different dimensions of representativeness, and the implications of this relationship for prospects for union revival
