Lucy Taksa | President's Column | Labour History, 93

PRESIDENT'S COLUMN

As has previously been reported, the 'President's Column' aims to keep members of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History (ASSLH) in touch with the Society's activities and to acquaint them with the work being done by the Federal Executive.

It gives me great pleasure to provide a report on recent developments. In early July, the Melbourne Branch hosted an extremely successful conference. On behalf of the Society I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the organisers, the Melbourne Branch and especially Peter Love and Julie Kimber, the other members of the Conference organising committee: Verity Burgmann, Phillip Deery, Stuart Macintyre, Sean Scalmer and those who supported them, Jackie Dickenson, Terry Irving, Gabrielle Murphy, Judith Smart, Margaret Walters and Nick Irving, for their hard work and dedication in helping to make this a memorable event. Their efforts help the Society to maintain its traditional links with the industrial and political wings of the labour movement, as well as scholars, students and activists. Congratulations are also extended to the Branch for the publication of the Conference proceedings, and to Julie Kimber, Peter Love and Phillip Deery as its Editors. Of course, thanks must also be extended to all those labour historians and fellow travellers who presented papers and those who helped to support their research by attending the conference.

The Federal Executive meeting held at the Conference in Melbourne was especially pleased to welcome colleagues from New Zealand. Ray Markey and Peter Franks took the opportunity to report on the success of the Trans Tasman conference held in Auckland in January and its role in helping to foster closer links between the ASSLH and labour historians in New Zealand. The Federal Executive congratulated Ray and Peter on the success of the Trans Tasman conference and we look forward to further collaborations in future. In recognising the importance of developing such international links, the meeting appointed Andrew Moore to investigate potential relationships with local and international affiliates, and to advise the Federal Executive on this matter.

Traditionally our conferences have been hosted by our branches on a rotational basis. It is with great regret that the President of the Adelaide Branch, Louisa Miller, recently informed the Federal Executive that the Branch Executive meeting on 20 August had decided that it was not, at the present time, in a position to provide the resources necessary to hold the next Conference. The Federal Executive was extremely sorry about this outcome but we look forward to having an opportunity to hold a conference in Adelaide at some time in the future. Following the rotational order, the Perth Branch was approached to host the next Conference and we have recently been informed that the invitation has been accepted. On behalf of the Federal Executive I would like to thank the Perth Branch and wish its members all the best for this endeavour.

Prior to the Melbourne Conference, a number of important organisational decisions were taken to streamline the work done by members of the Executive and to ensure a greater balance in the work load. At the Executive meeting held on 31 May office holder's duties and activities were reviewed and position descriptions of all the Executive officers were produced to clarify role boundaries and expectations. To lighten the load on the Secretary, while also creating a framework for better communication with and between the branches and improving our capacity to update the Society website, the meeting decided to create two new formal positions on the Executive. Tony Harris kindly agreed to take on the new Branch Liaison Officer role in which capacity he will be responsible for the exchange and dissemination of information with the branches and also the contact for matters relating to the Bede Nairn fund. Melanie Oppenheimer kindly agreed to take on the position of the Website Monitor and in this capacity she will liaise with the web manager and provide suggestions to the Executive on additional information and links, including extending links with other history organisations in Australia and also elsewhere.

In my first report I noted that the Federal Executive had resolved to undertake a review of the ASSLH constitution. In order to ensure a collaborative approach based on maximum consultation with and involvement from branches, the executive meeting held in May decided to hold a special constitution review meeting at the Melbourne Conference. The meeting was held on 6 July and attended by members of the Federal Executive and Branch representatives. Past President, Terry Irving was also invited to attend to provide input in recognition of his role in raising the need for a review some years ago. A representative from New Zealand also attended to create a firm foundation for Trans-Tasman collaboration. The meeting agreed that there was a need for specialist legal advice on the nature of federal incorporation vis-a-vis branch affiliate status and also in relation to the decision by a number of branches to obtain separate incorporation in order to ensure legal protection. An appropriate lawyer was subsequently identified by the President and Vice-President and to provide legal advice primarily on matters of branch and affiliate status, as well as other procedural matters. The last meeting of the Federal Executive held 9 October 2007 discussed the legal advice and the following resolution was carried:

That the federal executive supports the move towards a national membership for the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History. It supports the introduction of a new national standard membership rate of $10, of which $9 will be paid to Branches. Branches will consist of members of the National Society. The rate for the Labour History subscription will remain separate. Branches may still collect subscriptions for their own publications if necessary. The federal executive does not view this as a problem for branch autonomy as the national rules provide for separate branch officers and accounts.

As per our legal advice, this resolution effectively allows branches the full benefit of Federal incorporation for a cost of $1 per member. To have the full benefit of incorporation, all members of branches will have to be members of the Federal Society. If current branches do not wish to adopt this arrangement, in strict accordance with our rules they become Affiliated Associations. This means they will not have direct representation on the Federal Executive. The Federal Executive believes this is a simple solution to the issue of incorporation, and one that guarantees Branch autonomy under the national rules.

I would like to close by thanking all the members of the Federal Executive for their commitment to the Society and the work they do in ensuring that labour history concerns, the Society and its journal continue to make a contribution to scholarship and to public debate.


	*Lucy Taksa*

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.