Party: A.M.W.U./F.B. Thompson
Summary
Items: 30 boxes. Shelf Location: 8L, R,-16L, R. Fred Thompson was born in Carlton, Victoria m 1920, he served an apprenticeship in engineering and was elected president of the Melbourne Branch of the Amalgamated Engineering Union. He enlisted in the A.I.F. and saw service in New Guinea and New Britain. In 1948 he was elected country organizer for the Amalgamated Engineering Union for Victoria and Tasmania; in 1950 he moved to Townsville, where he was elected organizer of the Amalgamated Engineering Union for the Northern Territory and Queensland hi 1952, from which position he retired in 1976. Fred Thompson was involved in the anti-fascist peace movement of the 1930s, he joined the Communist Party in 1938. and was North Queensland president for several years from the 1950s. He was a foundation member of the Aboriginal and Islanders' Advancement League, and has been involved in the anti-Vietnam War and anti-nuclear campaigns; his commitment to those political and human issues, and his long-term involvement in politics and labour organization, is reflected in this extensive collection of records. Details of the collection are taken from archive lists supplied and follow the order of arrangement in the Delamothe archives.
BOX 1. Aborigines File. Correspondence, conference proceedings, minutes of meetings, court records and submissions, newspaper extracts, copies of Acts of Parliament, pamphlets. Principal items include:
Mapoon closure, 1963, pamphlet and extract.
Enquiry, Hopevale Mission, 1961, regarding Jimmy Jacko and Gertie Simon, correspondence, submissions, findings.
Inter-racial Seminar, Townsville, December 1967, correspondence, documents, notebook, pamphlets.
Yarrabah Mission, case studies, correspondence.
Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders' Advancement League of Queensland, and the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Various conference proceedings, minutes and correspondence, 1958-1975.1939-1975, AMWU/FBT/AF.1-4.
Weipa. Correspondence, reports, notes, extracts, including:
Weipa Land Rights, notes.
Report on the operations of the sub-departments of Native Affairs et al Queensland, 1956. AMWU/FBT/AF.5.
Islanders’ Rights. Correspondence, reports, submissions, contract, lists, extracts, including:
Proposals for assimilation (Palm Island), and related correspondence.
Palm Island Inspection. Report presented at Townsville T.L.C. meeting, 1971.
Thursday Island, workers compensation, letter. AMWU/FBT/AF.6.
Aboriginal Publications. Newsletters and papers, booklets, pamphlets, some correspondence, small collection, AMWU/FBT/AF.7.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items. Aboriginal Rights. Correspondence, conference proceedings, newspaper extracts, various publications, including:
Advancement League Conference Proceedings, Cairns, 1968.
Building Workers' Industrial Union letter, regarding gold discovery Lockhardt River Mission, 1958.
Bennett, Mary M., Human Rights for Australian Aborigines, booklet. AMWU/FBT/AF.8.
Living Conditions. Correspondence, reports, newspaper extracts, pamphlets and bulletins, including:
Note regarding Aborigines and Police, and Hopevale flogging.
Reports and papers regarding Aboriginal wage cases, e.g. Aborigines and unions Vs. cattlemen and pastoralists in general.
Papers on Aboriginal housing and education. AMWU/FBT/AF.9.
Conferences and Constitution. Correspondence, conference papers, petitions, questionnaires, notes, Acts of Parliament, newspaper extracts, including:
Questionnaire on employment of Aborigines and Islanders in Townsville.
Report on condition of Queensland State Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, 1958.
Mission correspondence, A.B.M. Christian Community Co-operative Ltd, rules and application forms. AMWU/FBT/AF.10-11.
BOX 3. A.C.T.U. File. Correspondence, addresses, submissions, conference and seminar papers, minutes of meetings, circulars, information sheets, booklets, newspapers, including:
Seminar papers. Trades and Labour Council of Queensland, Automation Seminar, 1967, booklet and roneoed sheets.
Programme, World Trade Union Congress, 5th Congress, 1961.
Papers and findings, Unemployment Conference Townsville, 1960, roneoed items and newspapers.
Letter, Nicklin, G.F.R. to Unemployment Conference, [I960?].
Minutes of meeting, A.C.T.U. Congress, 1969.
Papers regarding special executive meeting A.C.T.U., 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970.
Decisions of A.C.T.U. Congress, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1971.
Papers regarding Queensland Trades and Labour Council, decisions 1956 conference, conference 1961, summary of unemployment figures 1958, minutes of meeting.
Mt Isa Branch 1959, circular regarding part-time and western allowances, from Townsville Trades and Labour Council. Information sheets, Groote Eyelandt construction work and future mining options, 1965. 1956-1971, AMWU/FBT/ACTUF.1-6.
BOX 4. Administration Union File. Letters, circulars, reports, agendas, minutes of meetings, constitution, documents, petition, election material, newspapers, pamphlets, including:
Agenda, minutes of meeting, Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union, 2nd Commonwealth Conference, 1974.
Agenda, minutes of meetings, circulars regarding various conferences, council meetings, Amalgamated Engineering Union, 1967-1971.
Constitution, Metal Trades Federation, 1949.
Pamphlets: "Information for A.E.U. Shop Stewards",
Safety Committee,
Guide to Sydney District Branch A.E.U. Meetings, 1959,
Peace,
Elections 1942-1963,
Elections 1949-1958,
A.E.U. Information. Report, of A.E.U. Delegation from Australia to U.S.S.R., 1958.
Minutes of Queensland State Conference, [A.E.U.?], 1964-1968, Townsville submissions 1964-1966.
Various papers, Queensland State Conference, [A.E.U.?], 1967, 1975, 1942-1975. AMWU/FBT/AUFI-X.
BOX 5. Conference minutes, reports, circulars, decisions, arrears, file, Act of Parliament, including:
Minutes of Queensland State Conference, [A.E.U.?], 1967-1970.
Arrears file, 1960, 1961.
Collection of records regarding Northern Territory trade union matters, 1957-1974. AMWU/FBT/AUF.XI-XXI.
BOX 6. Minutes of notices of meetings, reports, newspapers, including:
Quarterly notices of meetings, October 1968-1971.
Minutes of meetings, Queensland State Committee, March-December 1969, 1970.
Minutes of meetings, Townsville District Committee, September 1964-September 1967.
Minutes of Administrative Committee Meetings, Brisbane, 1975, 1976.
Report, Administrative Committee Meeting, Brisbane, 1974.
Reports submitted to Queensland State Council, entitled: Industrial, Education, Boilermakers, Local Mines, Townsville-North Australian Cement, Railway, Castlemaine Brewery. 1964-1976. AMWU/FBT/AUF.XXII-XXXIV.
Box 7. Minutes of meetings, agendas, circulars.
Minutes and agendas, Commonwealth Council, 1969-1971.
Minutes, agendas and circulars, Queensland State Council, 1970/71.
Circulars Commonwealth Council, 1961-1964. 1961-1971 AMWU/FBT/AUF.XXXV-XLI.
BOX 8. Circular, Commonwealth Council, 1965-1969.
Wage claims and financial state, 1964, 1966.
1964-1969 AMWU/FBT/AUF.XLII-XLVIIL
BOX 9. Apprenticeship File. Correspondence, minutes of meetings, addresses, notes. Acts of Parliament, circulars, booklets, bulletins, relating to apprentices, training courses, and trade union activity generally, 67 items, 1929-1971 AMWU/FBT/AUF.I-VII.
Comalco File. Records of award negotiations and agreements with Comaico, including:
Award negotiations, Comaico, Weipa, 1970-1974.
Award negotiations, Weipa Conference, 1975.
1964-1975 AMWU/FBT/COF.I-VII.
BOX 10. Correspondence 1973. In and out letters, circulars, receipts, index, including:
In-letters, State Secretary's Office.
Out-letters, State Secretary's Office.
Secretary's circulars, State Office.
Contributors' receipts, State Office.
In and out letters, Commonwealth Council.
Branch correspondence: Townsville, Ayr, Cairns, Innisfail. FBT/C'73 F/A. Cont. Box 11.
BOX 11. Correspondence 1973 contd.
Branch correspondence: MacKay, Mount Isa.
Correspondence: organizers and secretaries Queensland and interstate, other unions. FBT/C'73 F/A.
BOX 12. Correspondence 1973, contd. Files including:
Trades and Labour Councils,
Apprenticeship Advisory Committee,
Industrial Court Inspectors,
Railway Department,
Ministers and members of Parliament,
Sugar mill shop stewards. FBT/C'73 F/B.
BOX 13. Correspondence 1973, contd. Correspondence, telegrams, membership lists, some business accounts, including:
Townsville Regional Office, accounts for payment 1973. FBT/C'73 F/B.
BOX 14. Demarcation File. Records regarding industrial demarcation disputes and settlements, a sample of holdings is as follows:
Sugar industry.
Papers regarding Executive Conference, A.E.U. and B.S.A. 1965.
Dispute at Inkerman Mill 1961.
Conference of C.S.R. delegates, 1967, Innisfail, Macknade Mill dispute.
Dispute, Pioneer Mill, 1956.
Dispute, Goondi Mill, 1957.
Dispute, Invicta Mill, 1956.
Other industries. Dispute with boilermakers, North Queensland Engineers and Agents Pty Ltd, 1964.
Demarcation Agreement, ship, bridge and structural work, decisions of conference, 1914, two copies.
Demarcation dispute, A.E.U. and Plumbers' Union, 1957.
Conference, A.E.U. and B.S.A., Townsville, 1965.
Conference, A.E.U. Boilermakers' and Blacksmiths', Townsville, 1957.
Industrial dispute, boilermakers, Pleystowe Mill, 1965.
Commonwealth Coal Industry Act, 1946-1956.
N.S.W. Coal Industry Act, 1946-1951, two copies. 36 items, 1914-1967, AMWU/FBT/DEF I-VII.
BOX 15. Education Union. Apart from records of the Education Union, this box includes material regarding the meat, sugar, mining and motor industries, and also covers such issues as cost of living, conscription, basic wage, trades and labour internal politics, management and employer attitudes. Large collection of correspondence, notes, addresses, minutes of meetings, seminar papers, newspaper and periodical indexes, Acts of Parliament, map, booklets and pamphlets, including:
Pamphlets:
“Review of the Market - Come & Co. Stock and Sharebrokers".
“Real Basic Wage, 1964".
“Basic Wage Exposure, 1957", two copies.
Truth about Communist Policy, 1957.
“ALP/1957 Committee Meeting".
“Labour Council Call to All Workers".
'Widespread job action needed to win big rise in worker's basic wage".
Papers regarding 1967 Education Seminar, including:
Address, Problems of Technological Change and Automation, n.a.
Address, Bruggy, R., 1967, Seminar.
Address, Treston, T.M., 1967, Seminar.
Address, Treston, T.M., Trade Union Education and Training in Australia, 1967, seminar.
Papers regarding A.E.U. Education School, Townsville, August 1968, including:
Address, Thompson, F.B., 1968 school.
Address, Dearlove, W.G., Apprentice and the Technician, A Role for Each to Play, 1968 school.
Address, Dearlove, W.G., Federated Metal Trades Award, Queensland, 1968 school, two copies.
Papers regarding Mackay district Education School, 1974, includes:
Address, Nicolai, C.P., Present Official Policy of A.M.W.U., 1974 school.
Address, Trade Union Training and the Role of the Shop Steward, n.a. 1974 school.
Address, Vaughan, J.A., Union Organization, 1974 school. 117 items, AMWU/FBT/EU FI-XI.
BOX 16. Primarily papers regarding industrial disputes, including the following issues:
Mechanical engineering employees, dock dispute, 1935.
Townsville Harbour Board and Townsville Unions dispute, 1964.
Commonwealth Engineering Strike, regarding margins, 1960.
N.Q.E.A. Cairns, stop work on overtime claims, 1967, also results of compulsory conference of May 1967, stemming from the strike.
Theiss Brothers dismissal dispute, 1962.
Cleveland Foundry dispute, Townsville, 1953.
Hume Steel dispute, Townsville, regarding working conditions and wage rates, 1958.
C.R.E.B., dispute regarding discounts and power house allowances, 1959.
Capricornia Regional Electricity Board, dispute regarding wages, 1954.
Stewart & Lloyds, dispute over award payments to employees on outside contracts, 1958/9. 1935-1972, AMWU/FBT/GD FI-XV.
BOX 17. Papers regarding industrial agreements and awards, including:
Engineering Oil Companies Awards, 1970, 1972, Variations.
Memorandum of Agreements, Aircraft Industry Award, 1958-69.
Railway Metal Trades Grades Award, 1953.
Space Tracking Industry Award, Variations 1966-72.
Public Service Department, National Wage Increases, 1971.
1920-1972, AMWU/FBT/GD F XVI-XXIX.
BOX 18. International Documents. Correspondence, notes, circulars, press release, minutes of meetings, newsletters, extracts, leaflet lists, photograph, items include:
Press release, World Federation of Trade Unions, 30 September 1960.
Minutes of meeting, M.T.F. regarding Margins Campaign, 1963.
Leaflet, "Truth about the dispute at Moura, 1963".
List of trade union secretaries.
Mary Kathleen. Records regarding Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd, bonus, award and industrial agreement, 1960.
Conference transcripts, Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Commission of Queensland, 1962, regarding Mary Kathleen.
Minutes of Union meetings, Brisbane, concerning dispute at Mary Kathleen, 1958.
Minutes of meeting with members employed at Mary Kathleen, 1958.
Correspondence regarding Union Stopwork at Mary Kathleen, [1958?], additional correspondence 1960.
Correspondence, regarding board and lodging, time and wage claims, Mary Kathleen, 1956-60.
Booklet, Official Opening, Mary Kathleen Uranium, 1958.
Booklet, Mary Kathleen Uranium Ltd, General Description of Company Operations, 1960.
Booklet, Uranium Mining Award. AMWU/FBT/IDF I-III, MKF I-IV.
BOX 19. Meat Industry.
Records of industrial negotiations, Meat Export Award, 1962-1963, 1969, 1971, 1974-77.
Metal Trades Federation.
Correspondence, minutes of meetings, reports, conference agendas, decisions, notes. Act of Parliament, newspaper extracts, newsletter including:
Minutes of meetings, Executive Committee, M.T.F. May-November 1966, 1968.
Minutes of meetings, Queensland Branch M.T.F., 1963-1972.
Correspondence, State Branch M.T.F., 1963-1970.
Correspondence, Individual unions, Townsville, Metal Trades Group, 1964-1965.
Correspondence, general, T.M.T.G., 1963-1968. AMWU/FBT/MIF I-V, MTFF I-VI.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items0. Metal Trades Federation, contd.
Correspondence, Leaflets, regarding Metal Trades Case 1967-1968.
Minutes of meetings Federal Executive Committee, M.T.F., 1963-1972.
Agenda and additional papers, Queensland Branch Conference, M.T.F., August 1968.
Records regarding Wages Special Meeting and Restraining Order, Metal Trades Sub-Branches, 1958, 1963, 1964. four items, AMWU/FBT/MTFF/ VII-X.
Mount Isa Mines and Copper Refinery. Large collection mainly regarding Mount Isa, including material covering the major industrial disturbances of 1961 and 1964. Items include correspondence, minutes of meetings, press statements, record of negotiations, notices, memorandum of agreement, financial statements, newspaper and periodical extracts, leaflets, pamphlets, photograph. 76 items, AMWU/FBT/MIM F I-XIII.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items1. Mount Isa Mines and Copper Refinery, contd. Extension of above collection, 76 items, ca.1932-1974, AMWU/FBT/MIM F XIV-XXII.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items2. Mount Isa Mines and Copper Refinery, contd.
Records of F.B. Thompson, A.E.U., regarding Mount Isa dispute, January, February, 1965, two exercise books.
Record of negotiations, F.B. Thompson, M.I.M. Award, September 1974.
three items, 1965-1974, AMWU/FBT/MIM F XXIII-XXV.
New Guinea. Correspondence, notes, periodical and newspaper extracts, pamphlets, covering industry, unionism, economics and mining, social and political life. seven items, 1955-1969, AMWU/FBT/NG F I-II.
Northern Territory. Correspondence, reports, expense sheets, Acts of Parliament, periodical extracts. 1953-1959, AMWU/FBT/NT F I-VII.
North Queensland Trade Union Conferences. Reports, conference papers, decisions, radio broadcasts, book review, newsletters, leaflets, booklets, statistics, including:
Special report, Thompson, P., You and Automation, Q.T.U. Conference, 1958.
Booklet, Kemshead, K., Automation Friend or Foe? Fabian Society of Queensland publication, 1957, two copies.
Radio script, Brown, G.S. A.B.C. Guest of Honour Programme, 'Automation', 15 July 1956.
Tonnage data, Townsville Harbour Board, 1957.
Papers regarding Domestic Conferences, North Queensland Branches, 1962, roneoed.
ca.1956-64, AMWU/FBT/NQTUC F I-III.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items3. Penal Powers. Records regarding Penal Powers and their implications in industrial activity, includes notes, lectures, industrial decisions and court submissions, periodical articles and extracts. Acts of Parliament, leaflets and booklets including:
Lecture, Laver, B. Penal Powers and their use in industrial disputes, 1968, Trades and Labour Council, two copies.
Correspondence and extracts, regarding inland rail, strikes and profits, 1964.
Submission prepared in answer to court orders, regarding Copper Refinery, Townsville, 27 August [196?].
Booklet, Souter, H.J., Commonwealth Industrial Regulations in Australia, 1957. 26 items, 1957-1970, AMWU/FBT/PP F I-III.
Political. Records relating to social, economic, moral and political issues, including sub-sections entitled: Peace Committee 1969, and Townsville Committee in Defiance of the National Service Act 1970, both concerned with opposition to the Vietnam War, conscription etc.
Other headings include:
Australian Labor Party and History of Labour Day in Queensland-May Day.
The collection also contains material on the question of the mining and export of uranium, and trade unions and the anti-nuclear lobby. 1951-1976, AMWU/FBT/PF I-VI.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items4. Queensland Nickel, Greenvale and Yabulu. Correspondence, transcripts, reports, conference notes, records of negotiations, memoranda of agreements, charts and tables, records regarding wages, allowances, housing, freight charges, relating to the establishment and operations of the Greenvale Nickel Mine, township and railway service, and the associated Yabulu Treatment Plant. ca.1969-1974, AMWU/FBT/QNF I-XIII.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items5, 26, Part of 27. Rail. Large collection of records regarding industrial relations in the Railway Department throughout Queensland, includes individual branch records:
Correspondence, minutes of meetings, agenda, reports, notes, circulars, work rosters, accident statistics, Act of Parliament, record of phone conversation, newsletters, periodical articles, leaflets, information bulletins. 1938-1973, AMWU/FBT/RF LXLVII.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items7. Rail. Four items regarding Queensland Railways, as indicated above.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items7, 28. Sugar. Large collection of sugar industry records, covering industrial relations with most major Queensland mills and sugar handling institutions, and also with the C.S.R. company. Material includes correspondence, minutes of meetings, reports, annual reports and financial statements, records of industrial negotiations and agreements, various membership lists and registers, statistics, cutting book, machinery abstracts and diagrams, booklets, news bulletins, pamphlets, periodical extracts. ca.1949-1973, AMWU/FBT/SF I-XXIX.
Box 2: Miscellaneous Items9. Union Publications. Small collection of periodical articles, from the Engineer (Queensland edition), regarding industry, allowances, union activity, the Vietnam War, etc. 1970-1972, AMWU/FBT/UPF I.
Utah. Records of industrial relations regarding the Utah Development Company in central and northern Queensland centres, including Blackwater, Goonyella, Hay Point, Mackay, Moranbah and Saraji. Material includes correspondence, circulars, notes, wage tables, bulletins, leaflets, Acts of Parliament, booklets. 1946-1973, AMWU/FBT/UTAH F I-X.
BOX 30. Workers' Compensation. File of workers' compensation claims, covering death and injury. 32 claims, 1951-1964, AMWU/FBT/WCF I-VII. DELAMOTHE.