Tas Bull
Encyclopedia
Tasnor Ivan "Tas" Bull (31 January 1932 – 29 May 2003), Australia
n trade union leader, was born in Sydney
in 1932. His first name was a combination of Tasmania
and Norway
, the respective birth places of his mother and father. He grew up in a working-class household in Tasmania. His father, an electrical contractor, had been a seaman. He was raised a member of the Salvation Army
. He went to sea in 1946 and became active in the Seamen's Union of Australia
(SUA), then controlled by the Communist Party of Australia
(CPA), which Bull joined in 1951. He left the CPA in 1959, following the crushing of the Hungarian revolution
by the Soviet Union
.
After his marriage Bull became a waterside worker (stevedore) in Hobart, joining the powerful Waterside Workers' Federation (WWF), and was soon a job delegate. Later he worked in Melbourne
, then Sydney, becoming an experienced negotiator. In Sydney he undertook an industrial law course at Sydney University Law School. In 1967 he was elected a Vigilance Officer; in 1971 he was elected Federal Organiser, and later Assistant General Secretary. In 1984 he succeeded Charlie Fitzgibbon as General Secretary, a post he held until 1992. He also became prominent in the Australian Council of Trade Unions
(ACTU). He became an ACTU Vice President in 1987, and Senior Vice President in 1991.
Bull led the WWF during the period of radical change on the waterfront. Technological change was greatly reducing the size of the workforce, while at the same time there was political pressure to reform waterfront work practices to make the Australian transport sector internationally competitive. In response a process of waterfront reform was begun by the Hawke
Labor
government. Bull co-operated with the reform, while defending his members' interests. In 1993 the WWF amalgamated with the SUA to form the Maritime Union of Australia
(MUA).
Bull was also active in international trade union affairs. From 1972 onwards he worked with the International Transport Workers' Federation
, and for ten years until 1993 represented the Asia/Pacific region on its executive board.
Following his retirement in 1993 Bull remained active in various left-wing and union causes, and published his autobiography Life on the Waterfront in 1998.
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...
n trade union leader, was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1932. His first name was a combination of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the respective birth places of his mother and father. He grew up in a working-class household in Tasmania. His father, an electrical contractor, had been a seaman. He was raised a member of the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. He went to sea in 1946 and became active in the Seamen's Union of Australia
Seamen's Union of Australia
The Seamen's Union of Australia was the principal trade union for merchant seamen in Australia from 1876 to the 1991. Australian seamen were forerunners of maritime trade unionism. Efforts to form trade unions amongst merchant seamen trading out of Australian ports can be traced back to 1874, with...
(SUA), then controlled by the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
(CPA), which Bull joined in 1951. He left the CPA in 1959, following the crushing of the Hungarian revolution
Hungarian Revolution
Hungarian Revolution may refer to:* The Hungarian Revolution of 1848.* The Hungarian Revolution of 1919, which led to the formation of the Hungarian Soviet Republic headed by Béla Kun.* The Hungarian Revolution of 1956....
by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
After his marriage Bull became a waterside worker (stevedore) in Hobart, joining the powerful Waterside Workers' Federation (WWF), and was soon a job delegate. Later he worked in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, then Sydney, becoming an experienced negotiator. In Sydney he undertook an industrial law course at Sydney University Law School. In 1967 he was elected a Vigilance Officer; in 1971 he was elected Federal Organiser, and later Assistant General Secretary. In 1984 he succeeded Charlie Fitzgibbon as General Secretary, a post he held until 1992. He also became prominent in the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
(ACTU). He became an ACTU Vice President in 1987, and Senior Vice President in 1991.
Bull led the WWF during the period of radical change on the waterfront. Technological change was greatly reducing the size of the workforce, while at the same time there was political pressure to reform waterfront work practices to make the Australian transport sector internationally competitive. In response a process of waterfront reform was begun by the Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government. Bull co-operated with the reform, while defending his members' interests. In 1993 the WWF amalgamated with the SUA to form the Maritime Union of Australia
Maritime Union of Australia
The Maritime Union of Australia covers waterside workers, seafarers, port workers, professional divers, and office workers associated with Australian ports. As of 2011 the union has about 13,000 members. It is an affiliate of the International Transport Workers' Federation and represents the...
(MUA).
Bull was also active in international trade union affairs. From 1972 onwards he worked with the International Transport Workers' Federation
International Transport Workers' Federation
The International Transport Workers' Federation is a global union federation of transport workers' trade unions, founded in 1896. In 2009 the ITF had 654 member organizations in 148 countries, representing a combined membership of 4.5 million workers....
, and for ten years until 1993 represented the Asia/Pacific region on its executive board.
Following his retirement in 1993 Bull remained active in various left-wing and union causes, and published his autobiography Life on the Waterfront in 1998.