| This issue of Labour History contains seven major articles that highlight the breadth of the field. Continuing the journal's tradition of interest in comparative labour history, Robin Archer tests the idea that the prevalence of liberal values is one of the main reasons why there was no Labour Party in the US by comparison with Australia. He finds that the presence of strong liberal values, the idea of individual freedom, did not prevent the formation of a Labor Party in Australia and may have even assisted it. |
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Another link between the US and Australia is found in Melissa Bellanta's paper on the influence of Single Taxers, the followers of Henry George, upon the Australian labour movement in the 1890s. The Single Taxers broke with the labour movement in favour of the conservative Free Traders and this article examines the relationship between their uncertain material circumstances during the 1890's Depression and their claims that they were 'above class'. |
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Nick Dyrenfurth and Marian Quartly in their article look at the classic labour representation of the capitalist class – the 'Fat Man'. Labour intellectuals used the image of the villainous 'Fat Man' to mobilise the working class to defend 'the People' against the excesses of capitalism. |
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Kay Whitehead focuses on the representation of women's work in two sets of articles published in Women's Record in 1921–22 and the Australian Women's Weekly in 1933, which provided careers advice to women workers in traditional fields such as teaching, nursing and the world of commerce. |
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Melissa Kerr continues the interest of Australian labour historians in management labour practices. Her article also broadens this interest by looking at non-union firms in the Australian Abrasive Industry in period when Australian union membership was at its peak following the Second World War. With the continuing recent decline in Australian union membership, this article provides insights into the strategies used by employers to remain non-union that have relevance today. |
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Race Mathews re-examines the life of B.A. Santamaria, the Catholic intellectual, who had a profound impact of the labour movement for several decades through his fight against Communism and pursuit of Catholic social policy. This article argues that Santamaria ironically may have done a disservice to Social Catholicism through marginalising it. |
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Our final article, by Jock McCulloch, adds to the significant debate in Australia about the negative impact of asbestos on the lives of workers employed in mining it. He explores the experience of Aboriginal miners at a small chrysotile or white asbestos mine at Baryulgil in northern New South Wales operated by James Hardie Industries. While Hardie has always claimed that the work and living conditions of its Aboriginal employees were good, this article suggests otherwise, particularly in regard to occupational health and safety. |
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In addition to the major articles this issue of Labour History contains a number of other fine contributions. In our series on historical perspectives on current issues, Mark Hearn places the recent decision by the Australian High Court in regard to the Work Choices legislation, which expanded the federal powers relating to industrial relations, in historical context. There is a contested histories forum where Terry Irving responds to comments by Paul Pickering concerning his recent book The Southern Tree of Liberty. |
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Peter Franks reports on the successful Trans-Tasman Labour History Conference held at the Auckland University of Technology in February 2007. Some participants will be working on joint papers on comparative Australian and New Zealand labour history for a forthcoming special issue of Labour History in November 2008. |
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We have a contribution by Diane Michael, who is a producer of a new film, funded by the Mineworkers Trust, which examines the 1929–30 NSW Coal Lockout and the incident at Rothbury, where a miner named Norman Brown was killed by state police on 16 December 1929. I have seen a preview clip of the movie and it is an outstanding production and we hope to carry a review in a future issue. |
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We also publish an obituary for Wendy Lowenstein, whose outstanding contribution to Australian labour and social history is well remembered. We also have our excellent review section and our notice board of upcoming events. |
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Every two years we announce the winners of two prizes for articles appearing in recent issues of Labour History. I would like to congratulate the winners for 2005–06 – Victoria Haskins and Sandra Cockfield who share the Labour History Prize, and Rory O'Malley who is the recipient of the Gollan Prize. Further details are included towards the end of this issue. We also gratefully acknowledge the referees who have reviewed papers submitted to the journal over the last two years. |
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I am grateful to my associate editors and especially to John Shields and Harry Knowles who have acted as Editor when I have been on leave. Bobbie Oliver, Phillip Deery, Neale Towart and Terry Irving have also been of considerable assistance to the Editorial team. |
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The November issue will commemorate the centenary of the Harvester Judgement by publishing a special thematic edited by Mark Hearn. The articles focus on the important contribution of arbitration court transcripts and exhibits to our understanding of Australian labour and social history. |
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The 10th Labour History National Conference will be held at the University of Melbourne from 4–6 July and provides a significant opportunity for labour historians from Australia and overseas to get together. At the conference, a new book will be launched, The Time of Their Lives: the Eight Hour Day and Working Life. It contains papers drawn from the conference held last year by the Melbourne Branch to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Eight Hour Day. Funding from the Victorian Ministry for the Arts means that current members of ASSLH will receive a free copy of this publication. |
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