Dr. Tom Sheridan
Research papers 1935-1967

MSS 0102

Biographical Note

Tom Sheridan received his Ph.D. from the Australian National University in 1967 for his study of the Australian Section of the Amalgamated Engineering Union.

Sheridan 's research has concentrated on mid-20th Century Australian labour history and industrial relations. His major research project has aimed at producing a three-volume study of industrial relations in the period 1945-1970. Division of Labour: Industrial Relations in the Chifley Years, 1945-1949 was published in 1989 with the second volume, Australia's Own Cold War: The Waterfront Under Menzies, 1949-1967, released in 2006. Earlier publications include Mindful Militants: The Amalgamated Engineering Union in Australia 1920-1972 (1976).

Tom Sheridan is a former Reader in the School of Economics at the University of Adelaide. He is a Fellow of the Academy of the Humanities in Australia and has been active on the executives of the Industrial Relations Society of Australia and the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History. In 2003 he was awarded a Centenary Medal by the Australian Government "For Service to Australian Society and the Humanities in the Study of Industrial Relations".

These papers were transferred to the Library by Dr Sheridan in July 2005.

Contents Listing

Series 1: Thesis 5.5.cm.

"A history of the Amalgamated Engineering Union (Australian Section), 1920-1954" Thesis (Ph.D) – Australian National University, 1967. xv, 495 p.

Series 2: Source materials related to Amalgamated Engineering Union 26 cm.

2.1 Amalgamated Engineering Union. Melbourne District Committee. "Minutes" 9 January 1946-17 December 1947. 1 vol. Typescript (Roneo copy)

2.2 Amalgamated Engineering Union. Melbourne District Political Committee. "Minutes" 28 January 1947-2 December 1952. 1 vol. Typescript (Roneo copy)

2.3 Amalgamated Engineering Union. Commonwealth Council. "Bulletins" [Circulars], no. 160 (8 January 1935)-no. 310 (21 December 1937). 1 vol. Typescript (Roneo copy). With typescript indexes bound in. Issues bound in reverse order.

2.4 Amalgamated Engineering Union. Commonwealth Council. "Circulars" no. S.1 (January 1950)-S.312 (December 1958). 2 vols. Typescript (Roneo copy and photocopy). With typescript indexes bound in. Additional copy of vol. 2 (S.161-S.312).

2.4 Amalgamated Engineering Union. Commonwealth Council. "Odd circulars" 1939-1953 (mostly unnumbered). Includes awards, statutory rules, correspondence etc. With 7 circulars/letters of Sydney District Committee interfiled. In folder. Typescript and Roneo copies.

Series 3: Other source materials 15 cm.

3.1 Powell, Graeme T. "The role of the Commonwealth Government in industrial relations, 1923-1929" Thesis (M.A.) – Australian National University, 1974. Photocopy, plus Tom Sheridan's ms. notes [6] leaves.

3.2 Research Service, Sydney. "The pattern of industrial disputes in Australia, the U.S. and Great Britain." Sydney, 1950. 117, xv, xi p. Photocopied from the original in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.

3.3 Sharkey trial and appeal transcripts.

Lawrence Louis Sharkey (1898-1967) was a Communist leader prosecuted for uttering seditious words in and sentenced to three years imprisonment in 1949. The term was later reduced and he served thirteen months. This file contains documents related to the case, including transcripts of the trial and appeal 1949-1950 and protests from unions. Photocopied from the original Attorney-General's Dept. Correspondence files held in the National Archives of Australia.

3.4 Published source materials: pamphlets, flyers etc

Amalgamated Engineering Union. The Story of the engineers: centenary souvenir / drawings by Philip Mendoza. London, [1951]. 36 p.

Australian Communist Party. Programme. 1944. 16 p.

Blake, J.D. The Great coal strike of 1949. Sydney: Australian Communist Party, 1949. [15 p.] Photocopy.

The Broadcast that was banned: series of 13 candid commentaries / presented by The Workers Rights Association. Melbourne : Workers Rights Association, [19--]. 52 p. Photocopy.

Burton, John. TheLlight glows brighter / with a foreword by F.E. Chamberlain and an introduction by H.V. Evatt. Sydney: Morgan's Publications, [1956] 31 p.

Chifley. J.B. Final speech: Sunday June 10, 1951. Australian Labor Party, 1951. 15 p.

Communism on the waterfront: the story of political gangsterism on Australia's waterfront. Abbotsford, Vic.: Authorised by the National Vigilance Committee, of the Waterside Workers' Federation, [1961?] 31 p. Photocopy.

Another copy held by the Library

Current notes on international affairs, vol. 15 no. 9 (Sept 1944) Dept. of External Affairs, Canberra.

Another copy held by the Library.

Democratic Labor Party. Focus: background analysis information. Vol. 9 no. 6 (Sept. 1976); v. 10 no. 5 (Oct 1977); v. 11 no. 1 (Feb 1978)

[Another copy in Special Collections Rare Books 329.99405 F652]

The Economics of collective bargaining: proceedings of a series of lectures held during 1948 and 1949 in Berkeley and Los Angeles / ed. by C.Knight. Berkeley: Institute of Industrial Relations, 1950. 108 p.

The Facts of the attacks on the trade union movement. Melbourne: Melbourne Trades Hall Council, 1949. 8 p. Photocopy.

Hildebrand, George H. The Economic effects of unionism. University of California, Los Angeles: Institute of Industrial Relations, 1958. 145 p. Reprint no. 138.

Ironworkers in Port Kembla / Ironworkers' Union. [ Sydney: The Union, 1951?] [14] p. Photocopy.

Kerr, Clark. The Impact of unions on the level of wages. University of California, Los Angeles: Institute of Industrial Relations, 1958. 145 p. Reprint no. 73.

Labour Party ( Great Britain) Talking points ( 23 Dec. 1948)

Labour Party ( Great Britain) Notes for speakers: The Communist Party and affiliation. [1946] [16] p. Photocopy.

McPhillips, Jack. BHP loses £15,000 and much prestige / by Jack McPhillips, assistant general secretary Federated Ironworkers' Association of Australia. [ Sydney]: Federal Council of the Federated Ironworkers' Association, [1944?] 47 p.

Marks, C. In defence of trade unions. East Melbourne, Vic.: C. Marks, [1943?] 15 p.

"Red road to ruin: Commos sell workers a pup!" Authorised by the Ironworkers' Committee for Democratic Unionism (Pt Kembla Branch. [n.d.] [1] leaf. Photocopy.

Reynolds, Edwin. Through violence to fascism. Northcote [Vic.]: A.E. Theisz, [1944?] 25 p. Photocopy.

A Survey of the Lukin Award which represents capitalism's shock attack on the timber workers / issued by the Central Committee of Australian Trade Union Council. Melbourne: Australian Trade Union Council, [1929?] 11 p. Plus second copy (photocopy).

The Truth about the Fifth Column: a factual statement of the evidence proving the existence of an international spy ring. [ Melbourne?: News Weekly?, 1948?] 35 p. Photocopy.

Whittaker, Ralph. The Fight for red trade unions. Carnegie [Vic.]: R. Whittaker, [1945?] 31 p. Photocopy.

Williams, John. Collaboration with Communism: a detailed exposure of unity tickets. Collingwood, Vic.: Committee for Democratic Trade Unionism, [196-] 15 p.