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Biographical entry Gallagher, Norm (1931 - 1999)

Born
1931
Melbourne, Victoria
Died
1999
Occupation
Trade Union - Official

Summary

Norm Gallagher, born and raised in Melbourne, became a leading trade unionist as a result of his membership from 1951 with the Builders' Labourers' Federation [BLF]. By 1970, he was elected as the BLF's Victorian State Secretary and radically improved pay and conditions on building sites. His militant leadership style initially united union factions but later alienated the union from employers as well as the Victorian Labor Government and other union leaders. Following a royal commission into the BLF business affairs, it was deregistered and Gallagher was convicted and jailed for corruption and later finally ousted from his position as State Secretary in 1991. Norm Gallagher died in Melbourne on 26 August 1999.

Archival resources

National Library of Australia Oral History Collection

  • Interview with Jack Mundey, unionist, environmentalist, local government Councillor and former Secretary of the NSW Branch of the Builders Labourers Federation - Interviewer: Ann Turner, 1991, ORAL TRC 2726; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Memories of Norm Gallagher oral history project - Interview with Fr. Peter Norden, Jesuit priest and former Chaplain for Pentridge Prison, about Norm Galllagher, Australian trade unionist, 2000, ORAL TRC 4542/2; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Memories of Norm Gallagher oral history project - Interview with Martin Greany, union organiser, 1968-1985, for the Australian Building Construction Workers' and Builders' Labourers' Federation, about Norm Galllagher, Australian trade unionist, 2000, ORAL TRC 4542/1; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Memories of Norm Gallagher oral history project - Interview with Norman Wallace, union official for the Australian Building Construction Workers' and Builders' Labourers' Federation, about Norm Galllagher, Australian trade unionist, 2000, ORAL TRC 4542/3; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Memories of Norm Gallagher oral history project - interviewed by Barry York, 2000, ORAL TRC 4542; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Russ Hermann interviewed by Wendy Lowenstein in the Communists and the Left in the arts and community oral history project, 1995, ORAL TRC 3111/38; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details
  • Stan Sharkey interviewed by Richard Raxworthy in the Labor Council of New South Wales oral history project, 1999, ORAL TRC 3128/6; National Library of Australia Oral History Collection. Details

Sophie Papadopoulos