| Creator: |
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| Biography: |
Jack Hutson (1912-2003) was born in England, qualified as an engineer and worked as an engineer on the oil fields of Sarawak until evacuated to Australia during World War 11. Jack's developing political ideas led him to resign his managerial position and return to work as a tradesman. From that point on, his work as a trade unionist and member of the Communist Party became the primary focus of his life. It was through Jack's role in training and research for the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU) that his most substantial work for the union movement was done. He became one of the best-informed unionists on the Australian arbitration and wage fixing system, writing two important books: "Penal Colony to Penal Powers" (AEU, 1966) and "Six Wage Concepts" (AEU, 1971). Jack was instrumental in the union movement's planning of strategies for Australia's industrial reconstruction in the 1960s and 1970s. After retiring from the union, Jack worked for the Communist Party, Victorian Office and assumed significant responsibility for the party's financial affairs. In later years his work was focused on the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History (q.v.). He was Secretary of the Melbourne Branch for several years and edited the "Recorder". Jack has been described as typifying the "mindful militants", the industrial activists in the engineering trades. |
| Activities/Occupation: |
Trade union officials, Communists, Engineers |
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