I Thesis Declaration I Certify That This Work Contains No Material Which

Thesis declaration I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name, in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name, for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint-award of this degree. I acknowledge that copyright of published works contained within this thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of those works. I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University’s digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time. I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. 25 May 2020 i Hear the Lion Roar Trade unionism at General Motors-Holden’s in South Australia, 1930-1980. David Justin Chadwick University of Adelaide 25 May 2020 ii Acknowledgments I would like to sincerely thank my supervisor, Associate Professor Vesna Drapac, for all her contribution and invaluable insight throughout this project. Personally, I would like to thank my wife, Sarita, for her patience and support. iii Contents Acknowledgements i Abbreviations and Name usage ii Abstract iii Introduction 1 Chapter One: From Saddles to Cars: The Growth of Holden’s 32 Chapter Two: Tom’s Vision: Secondary industry development in 75 South Australia and Holden’s contribution , 1901-1958 Chapter Three: A fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work: Unionism 121 at GM-H Chapter Four: The changing nature of industrial action: Three 166 case studies of industrial activity at Holden’s Chapter Five: Motor City and the ‘turnip patch’: GM’s industrial 232 relations in the US and Britain Conclusion 299 Bibliography 306 iv Abbreviations and Name Usage Abbreviations ACTU Australian Council of Trade Unions AEU Amalgamated Engineering Union AFL American Federation of Labor ASE Australian Society of Engineers/Amalgamated Society of Engineers AWU Automotive Workers Union CEO Chief Executive Officer CIO Congress of Industrial Organizations CKD Completely Knocked Down CPA (M-L) Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist) CWW Carriages and Wagon Workers International Union of North America EAD Employers’ Association of Detroit FED&FA Federated Engine Drivers & Firemens’ Association GM General Motors GM-H General Motors-Holden’s GMOO General Motors Overseas Operations HMBB Holden Motor Body Builders IAC Industries Assistance Commission IMA Industrial Mutual Association MAC Management Advisory Committee NEDC National Economic Development Council NIRA National Industry Recovery Act NLRB National Labor Relations Board NLU National Labor Union SDS Student Democratic Society SLP Service Loading Plan SMWU Sheet Metal Workers’, Boilermakers’ and Moulders’ Union UTLC United Trades and Labor Council VBEF Vehicle Builders Employees’ Federation VBU Vehicle Builders Union WAM Workers Action Movement Name Usage Throughout the history of the Holden organisation the name Holden’s has been synonymous with the company, rather than General Motors-Holden or GM-H. For consistency and familiarity when mentioning the name of the company the term ‘Holden’s’ will be used. Family members, such as Ted Holden, will be addressed by their full name in order to avoid confusion. v Abstract The purpose of the thesis is to investigate and bring to light the role that trade unions played at Holden’s in South Australia. It argues that Holden’s relationship with its main unions was one that was developed over many years and was of mutual benefit. It does this by examining the development of Holden’s, the trade union movement, the unions involved at Holden’s and the growth of secondary industry in South Australia which facilitated the expansion of both. A series of case studies explore industrial action and their outcomes. To further demonstrate this uniqueness, comparisons will be made with General Motors operations in Britain and the US. This thesis reframes the typical narrative of labour and business historiography in Australia. Rather than approaching the question through a binary framework of labour versus business, it will analyse the role of Holden’s and the unions through their relationship of mutual benefit. For many years Holden’s was one of Australia’s largest and most profitable companies. From its entry into building motor car bodies in 1917, the company embraced unionism in its factories to improve industrial relations and ensure uninterrupted production. While this goal was not always achieved, as is shown in this thesis, strike activity was rare until a tumultuous period in the late 1960s and early 1970s that was paralleled throughout the world. However, for much of the time under investigation Holden’s worked closely with its unions, providing better wages and conditions than many other industries. Drawing on previously unused primary source material, this thesis explores an area of Australian history that has to date been overlooked. It argues that the relationship between Holden’s and its unions was unique, long-lasting and of mutual benefit. vi Introduction This thesis presents an analysis of the interaction between General Motors- Holden’s (Holden’s) and its primary trade unions in South Australia between 1930 and 1980. It argues that the relationship between Holden’s and its main union, the Vehicle Builders Employees’ Federation (VBEF), was one of mutual benefit. This thesis reframes the typical narrative of labour and business historiography in Australia. Rather than approaching the question through a binary framework of labour versus business, it will analyse the role of Holden’s and the VBEF through their relationship of mutual benefit. The conservative nature of the VBEF and Holden’s decision to embrace unionism and closed shops soon after its resolution to commence motor body building in the 1920s provides the context for my argument that their relationship was one of mutual benefit. Holden’s acceptance of trade unionism early in its corporate history is anomalous. When Holden’s endorsed its employees joining a union, albeit one of its own choosing, the company went against commonly accepted business behaviour. The outcome was (mostly) one of industrial relations harmony within Holden’s workforce. A range of key questions relating to Holden’s and its unions will be addressed. How had the relationship between Holden’s and its unions, particularly the VBEF, been established? How did that relationship evolve during the period under review? Was the relationship tested and why? By addressing these questions, I will argue that the relationship between Holden’s and the unions, specifically the VBEF, was symbiotic. Rather than a company-union relationship of mutual antagonism that was prevalent in the metal trades 1 industry, for example, Holden’s and the VBEF worked together to achieve their desired outcomes. For Holden’s this was uninterrupted output, and for the VBEF control of the workforce. To understand Holden’s importance to the South Australian economy the role of the company will be explored. We will see why Holden’s became a major manufacturer in South Australia and what events led to General Motors (GM) involvement. Union activity at Holden’s at the time of the merger between Holden’s and GM, and the company’s treatment of unions beforehand, will be explored. Also, we will examine the industrial relations landscape at the time. I argue that Holden’s growth was due to innovative business practices and identifying and realising opportunities for expansion. These management practices involved all aspects of the business, including the decision to commence building motor car bodies through to the adoption of closed shop unionism. Integral to Holden’s success was harmonised industrial relations and so the growth of trade unionism is also explored. How did trade unionism develop in South Australia, specifically with relation to the motor car industry? How did unions change from craft to industry unions? What impact did federal legislation have on unions and businesses? I will address these questions and argue that the importance of trade unionism in South Australia began early and one union, the VBEF, became dominant at Holden’s. To discover whether Holden’s experience was unique, this thesis will also analyse industrial relations at GM plants in the United States and the United Kingdom. I consider a number of questions: How did unions develop in the car industry? What legislative frameworks were implemented by governments? 2 What was the role of violence and coercion by unions and companies? And, what was the impact of strikes? By taking a trans-national, comparative approach I will argue that trade unionism became an integral part of GM operations globally, with differences between the geographical locations being less marked over time. The importance of the motor car in Australian history has resulted in a broad ranging historiography. The motor vehicle revolutionised the way that Australians transport themselves and their goods. Research into this field has included general texts on the history of transport and of specific makes and models of vehicles. As Australia’s largest manufacturer of cars, Holden’s has attracted attention from historians. However, much of this work tends to be non- scholarly or of a generalised nature. The relationship between trade unions and Holden’s has yet to be addressed by scholars. While Holden’s impact at a state and national level, particularly upon specific groups such as unions, was immense, it is not reflected in the historiography.

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