By James Lesh, University of Melbourne (The Conversation)
Jack Mundey, who has died at the age of 90, was a pioneer of the Australian heritage movement. As well as contributing to labor and environmental politics, Mundey reconceived of the ways that Australians related to their cities and heritage places.
As the NSW Builders’ Labourers Federation (BLF) secretary, Mundey created the “green ban” (a term first used in 1973). No union member would work on a site subject to a green ban.
Read more: Bondi Pavilion ‘green ban’: why revive an old union heritage protection tactic?
These bans were placed to give communities a say in development and to protect heritage and the environment. At a time of historically high union membership in the construction industry, a green ban effectively prevented development from proceeding.
By painting the traditional union “black ban” in a new colour, Mundey and the BLF created a new conception of urban and labor politics which highlighted community heritage concerns. As Mundey explained:
The adjective “green” was more apt than “black”. It also explained our wish to extend our help to other citizens, not to unionists alone.
Continue reading this article on: The Conversation
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For Jack Mundey, Union Militancy and Environmentalism Went Hand in Hand