Alfred Ernest Grounds joined The Amalgamated Glass Bottle Makers' Union on 25 March 1911 and became the Union's General Secretary and Branch Secretary of the Amalgamated Glass Bottle Makers' Union, Sydney Branch. The union changed to the Australian Glass Workers' Union in 1918. He was Secretary and a shareholder of The Zetland Glass Bottle Works Ltd from 1919 until it amalgamated with Australian Glass Manufacturers Company in 1921. Alfred Grounds married Maud Grounds (nee Duffin) in 1907.