Book Review

Trade union histories seem few and far between these days and for that reason alone, John Kellett's commissioned history of the Queensland branch of the Transport Workers Union should be welcomed as contributing to another chapter in the history of the Australian labour movement. There are however a number of other reasons why Kellett's history makes a useful contribution to the chronicle of Australian trade unionism.	1
As the title suggests, this is the story of a struggle. Not only of labour against capital, but of inter- and intra-institutional conflict and between personalities who ultimately desired similar outcomes for those they sought to represent. The union began as the Brisbane Trolley, Draymen and Carters' Union in 1907. After surviving almost a century of economic, political and ideological struggles, the now Queensland branch of the Transport Workers' Union has emerged as a union rated in a recent ACTU survey as among the nation's most successful, contradicting national trends in union density with impressive membership growth.	2
As Kellett points out, the Branch embraced labourism from the beginning and was no advocate of direct action to settle industrial problems. It would have no truck (pun unintended) with Communists, staunchly opposing their infiltration of the ACTU in the 1930s and at the same time incorporating the ALP's pledge into Branch rules. In the 1940s however, the Branch became a battleground as Communists within struggled for control of key Branch institutions. This internal conflict persisted as the Industrial Groupers and the Communists wrestled for supremacy until Branch politics returned to the centre of its labourist traditions in the mid-sixties. Another source of conflict existed in the Branch's continuous rivalry with its arch nemesis—the powerful Queensland branch of the Australian Workers' Union—over membership coverage.	3
By far the most fascinating and compelling period in this history is between 1982-1992 in which Kellett does a remarkable job in bringing the Hughie Williams and Len Ward/Les McPaul feud to life. Williams triumphs eventually in this struggle between 'both style and substance', but the author's narration provides an entertaining and politically insightful window into the hard-ball game of union branch politics.	4
There are many colourful personalities scattered throughout the book, some of whom would have benefited from a more comprehensive biographical exposure. Women are not neglected, although, like many trade unions in the same tradition, they are conspicuously absent from the leadership group and organising ranks until recent times. Kellett gives due recognition to 'Miss Arnell'—Clare Arnell who was employed as the Branch's receptionist and office-coordinator between 1927 and 1972. Clare was much more than this though, as a succession of branch leaders came to recognise. As Kellett demonstrates, she was more often than not a defacto branch secretary in every sense of those words.	5
Overall, it is difficult not to see this history as celebratory. In the book's introduction, Kellett confesses he did not approach his work dispassionately and makes no claim to objectivity, so we must applaud such honesty and accept the book the way we find it. Some academic historians might be overly critical of the acknowledged lack of analysis and theoretical context here. However, commissioned histories are not written solely to please the academy—they are written as much, if not more, for the men and women who made that history—it is their story.	6
That said, Kellett's style tends to irritate at times. Within the narrative, we are constantly referred backwards to issues discussed in previous chapters or forwards to issues to be discussed in those to come. Much of this was unnecessary and where it was appropriate it could have been easily dealt with in a footnote. This, together with a plethora of sub-headings and the occasional failure of the spellchecker, suggests the editing and proof-reading might have been more rigorous. More might also have been said about the nature of the work and the working lives of the membership. Evidence given in arbitration cases are often a rich source for such insights.	7
Despite these shortcomings, Kellett has written a perceptive and interesting history of the Queensland branch of the Transport Workers' Union. Based substantially on primary research from Branch records and correspondence but appropriately balanced with relevant secondary source material, this book will be a valuable contribution, not only to Queensland trade union history, but in adding yet another page to the history of Australian labour.	8
University of Sydney HARRY KNOWLES

Content in the History Cooperative database is intended for personal, noncommercial use only. You may not reproduce, publish, distribute, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, modify, create derivative works from, display, or in any way exploit the History Cooperative database in whole or in part without the written permission of the copyright holder.