Roaring Jack : 'Lads of the B.L.F.'

From the album 'The Cat Among the Pigeons' (Mighty Boy, 1988). The B.L.F. -- Builders' Labourers' Federation -- was an Australian union (1911--1986) de-registered by the Australian Labor and various state governments in the 1980s.

"Before the mid-1980s, the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) was one of the most militant trade unions in Australia, if not the world. The BLF was characterised by repeated workplace-by-workplace strikes. For the most part, these were victorious, and the BLF was able to secure for its members a series of improvements in their pay and conditions. The Federation also took up other causes, including migrant, women's, gay and Aboriginal rights. The union's most famous actions were the 'Green Bans', the refusal to work on socially undesirable demolition or development. But as one of Ross' many interviewees, former BLF activist Peter O'Dea, recalls, 'We were far too successful in elevating labourers. We were cheeky. Precisely because the Federation won so often, it made a series of industrial and political enemies. Liberal governments attempted to crush the BLF and failed. Labor succeeded.

In 1985, a series of laws were passed to derecognise the Federation. Members of the BLF were denied access to negotiated rates of pay and hours of work. State governments were given the powers to ban not just the BLF, but any union which BLF members joined, or any union that might emerge in the future with a substantial ex-BLF minority. Former members of the Federation were forced to sign declarations saying they were not in the union before they could work. Deregistration was not simply a matter of passing a few laws. A press campaign was waged against the BLF leader, Norm Gallagher. The police were instructed to enforce the bans. The Federation's headquarters were repeatedly raided, including on one occasion in October 1987, by 150 Special Operations police in full riot gear. The government sequestered the union's funds, and handed them over to an Arbitration Commissioner, paying the princely sum of $1,000 for every day he worked. The Commissioner published 21 reports. The investigation continued for 14 years long after the BLF had ceased to exist. No financial misdemeanours were found."

Review of Liz Ross, 'Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win: Builders' Labourers' Fight Deregistration, 1981-1994' by David Renton (University of Sunderland, UK), 'Labour History', No.87, November 2004.
http://www.vulgar.com.au/renton.html

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• B.L.F.
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• Federation
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• folk

[magentasoot1]

There's a new BLF website about to go up about the history of the BLF in Vic if anyone is interested .

[AndyFleming]

@magentasoot1 Post the link here.

[robbiesqueeze]

Solidarity forever and the union makes us strong!

[chookie69]

Dare to Struggle Dare to Win !!!!

[magentasoot1]

I shall when it's up . :)

[wittynsmart]

@ThatFelicitygirl R.I.P. Alistair Hulett who sadly passed away January 2010, a true working class hero

[wittynsmart]

R.I.P. Alistair Hulett who sadly passed away January 2010, a true working class hero

[zimtuff]

Things were never the same after deregistration but thanks for 3 minutes that brings back the memories.

Ill never forget the day the BLF signed me up as a young member on the 1st week at work in 82.

20 year member of wa and other branches.

[jacksonandveronika]

Replace the word 'reform' with the word 'revolution' and it's perfect.

[magentasoot]

What's perculiar, is I know Norms boy, and it's really funny when people call him Norm by mistake. LOL LOL LOL One of the nicest people, who'd bend over backwards to help anyone. :)

I didn't know of Norm or the BL's before I met him. But they explained what they did very well. If you don't join a union ? Hand back your hard hat, your PPC, and work boots. don't use toilets onsite, don't use the brew huts, And don't ask for protection when you need it from the bosses. JOIN A UNION!!! :)

[ark6662]

If you dont fight you lose!!

[ThatFelicitygirl]

Bob Hawke is still my favourite PM but him and Keating were the Trojan horses of economic rationalism.  So I love the guy but I could really thump him.

BTW I hung out with Alistair Hulett at a demo back in the eighties. Fookin' legend!!!