
Issue No 53		12 May 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

History

A Tribute to the Fallen

A Canadian tractor operator is seeking help to produce a book on monuments to people killed in the workplace.

My name is Ed Thomas and I'm a tractor operator with the City of Hamilton and also the author of two books. The Crest of the Mountain: The Rise of CUPE Local Five in Hamilton explores the rich history of my local, the other A Worker's Guide to Writing a Union History is intended to assist other activists in documenting their local's histories.

Both books were published with the assistance from individual and union contributions. I also am on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Workers Arts and Heritage Centre, Canada's only centre dedicated to the celebration and preservation of worker's history and culture. (http://www.web.net/~owahc)

I have just recently embarked on my latest personal project: a book on monuments from around the world which have been erected and dedicated to workers killed on the job . My plan for the book is to include a picture of each monument along with a description of how the monument got erected.

Who was behind the idea? Was it the local Labour council, the family of a victim, the company where the worker was killed etc.? Was it the result of one death, a disaster or just the fact that so many workers have been killed over the years? Was there any controversy in getting the monument erected?

I also hope to include information outlining the geographic location of the monument, who was the artist who designed the work and when was the monument put in place.

The response so far has been very positive. In addition to a number of people in Canada, I've made contact with people from England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, France, Malaysian, South America and the United States. However, there are hundreds of other countries with monuments that I wish to include in this project.

Using the world wide web for communicating with others around the world is essential for this project. I hope to set up a WEB site explaining my project and sharing pictures of some of my discoveries. I will also hope that others will link me to their sites and send information that can be included in the book and site.

My intention is to try and have this project completed for the millennium. Resources are very limited, and I hope to work with many of you to act as my eyes, ears and legs in locating monuments. I will also be looking for financial contributions to help make this dream a reality and would welcome any financial assistance that others can donate.

At present in the absence of my WEB page I can be contacted at:

Canadian Union of Public Employees Local Five, 1130 Barton Street East, Suite 200, Hamilton, Ontario L8H 7P9, Canada

Or mailto:[email protected]

   Contact our History editor, Dr Lucy Taksa

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  Issue 53 contents

Interview: The Fruitful Shaw
After ten years in Parliament, NSW Industrial Relations Minister Jeff Shaw looks at some mountains still to be climbed.

Politics: Budget in Reply
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley replies to the Federal budget and paints Labor's alternative vision for the future.

Economics: Petition to Move a Mountain
A child born in Zambia or Tanzania or Bolivia owes more to international creditors than she or he will ever earn in a lifetime.

International: Solidarity in a Cold Climate
After an overnight bargaining marathon, Norway's unions have secured most of their main demands and have now ended their nationwide strike.

Health: Workers Health Centre Comes of Age
In 2001, the Workers Health Centre will celebrate its 25th anniversary, making it the longest running independent trade union based health and safety service in the country.

History: A Tribute to the Fallen
A Canadian tractor operator is seeking help to produce a book on monuments to people killed in the workplace.

Satire: Ralph Web Ring Busted
Following the dismissal of 27 Telstra employees last week for downloading hardcore pornography on their work computers, Ralph magazine sacked five employees yesterday for downloading positive images of women.

Review: Waterfront - Through the Reporters' Eyes
Fairfax journalists Helen Trinca and Anne Davies have skillfully transformed the waterfront war into the sort of thriller that any self-respecting Hollywood mogul would reject for being too wild to be true.

» Costello Backs National GST Pay Claim

» Conference Call: Support the NSW Way

» Games Rail Service in Limbo

» Shaw Moves on Email Protection

» Salami Reform: Reith Chops Up the Nasties

» Advocate in Trouble Over Rural Sackings

» Unionists take to Streets for May Day 2000

» Shareholders Rattle Rinto Tinto Cage

» Joy Dispute Widens With Midnight Run

» Employers Fail to Defy History

» Indonesian Labor Educator Reports to Local Unions

» Big Drum-Up This Wednesday