Fred Moore (miner and activist)
Encyclopedia
Fred Moore is a working class activist and author associated with the South Coast of New South Wales
, Australia
, in particular the Mount Kembla
area. He was born in 1922 in Cobar, New South Wales
, Australia. He entered the mining industry at age fourteen and had a significant career in that industry for over fifty years.
movement and the Miner's Federation, and a key figure in campaigning for worker's rights in Australia, as well as agitating for Aboriginal rights. As a result he has been initiated as an Aboriginal Tribal elder in the Illawarra
, as well as made a blood-brother to the Jerrinja
people and is known to local Koori
s and other activists as "Dad".
Fred Moore served as chairman of the May Day Committee for over twenty years, and has been bestowed life-member status of the Miners Federation and the Miners' Women's Auxiliary (the only man alive of very few to be made an honourary member of this movement in history).
The South Coast Trade Union Centre, "Fred Moore House" has been named for him.
, which tells of how a group of women along with Fred Moore, became involved in assisting the indigenous people in their lobbying and protesting in regards to improving their poor living conditions.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in particular the Mount Kembla
Mount Kembla
Mount Kembla is a mountain in New South Wales, Australia, as well a semi-rural township of Wollongong, which gets its name from the mountain.Kembla is an Aboriginal word meaning "plenty of game"....
area. He was born in 1922 in Cobar, New South Wales
Cobar, New South Wales
-Notable people:*Nik Kosef, former rugby league player for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, 1996 premiership player, NSW & Australia representative*Ernie Toshack, cricketer, member of Bradman's Invincibles* Jemma Heather, state representative 4 times....
, Australia. He entered the mining industry at age fourteen and had a significant career in that industry for over fifty years.
Activism
He has been heavily involved in the Trade UnionTrade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
movement and the Miner's Federation, and a key figure in campaigning for worker's rights in Australia, as well as agitating for Aboriginal rights. As a result he has been initiated as an Aboriginal Tribal elder in the Illawarra
Illawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
, as well as made a blood-brother to the Jerrinja
Jerrinja
Jerrinja is the name of an Aboriginal clan on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, in the area of Jervis Bay....
people and is known to local Koori
Koori
The Koori are the indigenous Australians that traditionally occupied modern day New South Wales and Victoria....
s and other activists as "Dad".
Fred Moore served as chairman of the May Day Committee for over twenty years, and has been bestowed life-member status of the Miners Federation and the Miners' Women's Auxiliary (the only man alive of very few to be made an honourary member of this movement in history).
The South Coast Trade Union Centre, "Fred Moore House" has been named for him.
Writings
Fred Moore is author with Ray Harrison and Paddy Gorman of two books on the oral history of mining; At the Coalface (1997), and Back at the Coalface (2008). He also appears in the 2008 documentary "Beneath Black Skies", on mining history in the South Coast of NSW, Australia, as one of the interview subjects.Recognition
The former South Coast Trade Union Centre in Wollongong CBD, and the newer Fred Moore House, home of the CFMEU (Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union), have both been named in the honour of his tireless work for unity within the fields of industrial relations, and human rights . In addition to this he has also been honoured with a memorial on the "Together Wall", at the Jumbulla Aboriginal Discovery Centre, Bulli PassBulli Pass
Bulli Pass is a mountain pass northwest of Bulli, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on the Illawarra Escarpment west of the Illawarra coastal plain. It was built during the 19th century for use by loggers and locals transporting goods to and from Sydney...
, which tells of how a group of women along with Fred Moore, became involved in assisting the indigenous people in their lobbying and protesting in regards to improving their poor living conditions.
External links
- "Hundreds pay tribute to union legend"
- At the Coalface at the National Library
- Back to the Coalface at the National Library
- "Taking Up the Fight" - the Lake Illawarra MAP Project
- Coalfaces Project
- CFMEU official website
- At the Coalface at CFMEU
- "Community honours inspirational miner stalwart"
- "Fred Moore: A dream for May Day"