Any book on the modern urban heritage movement would at least make mention of Jack Mundey and the 1960s Green Bans, but for Sydney-based architect James Colman, Mundey’s figure continues to loom large over his city.
Jack Mundey
The campaign to Save Sydney College of the Arts (SCA) has forced the Dean of the College to resign. It was a major demand of the fight to retain Sydney University’s unique, studio-based arts college in the heart of Callan Park — the jewel of Sydney's inner west.
Colin Rhodes announced his resignation on September 13. He will be replaced by SCA teacher Margaret Harris.
The announcement came as the student occupation of SCA's administration building entered its third week — the longest occupation against management dictates, in USYD history.
Action for Public Housing (APH) was launched at the Redfern Community Centre on June 24. The launch was addressed by Green Bans movement activists Jack and Judy Mundey, Aboriginal elder Jenny Munro and Associate Professor Michael Darcy. The meeting also watched short videos highlighting the history of community resistance to the destruction of public housing in the city.
The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) has placed a "green ban" on redevelopment of the famous Bondi Pavilion, in support of community groups outraged by Waverley Council plans to effectively hand the building to private companies. Union and political leaders joined with local residents at Bondi Beach on May 29 to announce the union ban on work on the project.
Fifty years ago building worker activists took back control of their union, the NSW Builders Labourers Federation (BLF), from a leadership clique that ignored the members.
Under the new leadership of , the re-energised BLF created high standards for workplace safety, decent pay, union democracy, accountable leadership, community engagement and, most famously, Green Bans.
In the 1960s radical socialists led by Jack Mundy were elected leaders of the NSW Builders Labourers Federation. They not only won better pay and conditions for building workers, their radical environmental politics shook all of Australia.
Film Screening of new film on Jack Mundey's life and politics.
Jack Mundey was part of a radical team that won the union leadership of the Builders Labourers Federation (BLF) in the 1960s.
After winning safety on the job, sick and accident pay, the BLF went on to fight apartheid, give solidarity to First Nations peoples, fight for jobs for women, for black and then green bans. Those bans saved many heritage and environmentally significant sites.
