Editorial.

Patmore, Greg

This volume of Labour History opens with a thematic section on anti-union employer strategy. Some of these papers were initially presented at a symposium organised by the Business and Labour History Group at the University of Sydney in November 2008. The thematic includes an introduction, four papers and a postscript. It fulfils the longstanding need felt by labour historians to examine employers in order to understand the successes and/or failures of trade union organising and strategy.

There are also four other refereed papers in this issue. In contrast to the theme of the earlier papers , Bradley Bowden argues that employers can also play a role of assisting organised labour by encouraging the formation of trade unions. Bowden contends that such was a pre-condition for union success in Brisbane prior to the mid-1880s. Robert Bollard reassesses the 1919 Melbourne waterfront strike and challenges the prevailing view that the strike was ineffective. Indeed waterside workers both challenged their union officials and the Commonwealth Court of Arbitration to regain influence over labour recruitment on the Melbourne waterfront and reinstate preference for unionists in employment matters.

Against the background of the ongoing conflict between Israel and the State of Palestine, Philip Mendes argues that during the 1947-48 Arab-Israeli War virtually the entire Australian Left, including the Labor Party and the Communist Party of Australia, supported the State of Israel. He attributes this to three factors: the humanitarian sympathy for Jews following the Holocaust; the relative indifference to the plight of Palestinian Arabs; and the advocacy of left-wing Jewish groups. Sue Taffe also explores the role of the Left, but at a more local level. She argues that a community of the Left in Cairns, Queensland, was crucial for the success of the Cairns Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander Advancement League in promoting Aboriginal rights in the late 1950's at both a local and national level.

We include a number of other interesting contributions. Ed Davis continues the long tradition of the journal carrying reports on conferences of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Peter Franks reports on the successful 11th National Labour History Conference in Perth. Congratulations to the Perth Branch of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History for a great event. We also publish one of the plenary addresses at the Conference which was given by David Brody, a leading US labour historian, on whether US labour law provides a model for Australia. There is an obituary for John Peter Maynes who was leading force in the Federated Clerks Union in Australia, and contribution by John Warner on labour history in song, focussing on the Eveleigh Railway Workshops in Sydney. There is also the usual excellent book review section which evaluates the latest scholarship both in Australia and overseas.

Scholars world-wide are now able to consult all the back issues of Labour History. With the exception of the current subscription year, are now available electronically on JSTOR as part of their Arts & Sciences V Collection. Check with your local public library or educational institution as to whether they subscribe to this collection.

The May 2010 Labour History will contain a series of articles exploring the relationship between Social Democratic Parties and business. The November issue will feature papers resulting from the 'Red, Green and Inbetween' conference being held by the Brisbane Labour History Association. Interested contributors should note the call for papers at the back of this volume--the deadline for abstracts is 4 December 2009. We are also preparing for 100th edition of journal in May 2011. The Editorial Board of the journal approved a special issue that will focus on a number of significant topics in the field of labour history. The publication will be edited by Nikola Balnave, Cathy Brigden, Lucy Taksa and me. It is hoped it will prove to be of benefit to those teaching labour history or developing new courses in the field.

Finally, if you are applying for grants from the Australian Research Council, you may find it useful to know that there is now an Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC) classification for Business and Labour History--220201.