GB 0101 TU.BB - Barbados: Trades Unions Material

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0101 TU.BB

Title

Barbados: Trades Unions Material

Date(s)

  • 1945-1980 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

1 box

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Trades unions in Barbados were closely linked to the evolution of the party system in the years before independence, with leaders of the Barbados Workers' Union (BWU) sitting in the House of Assembly and on the Executive Council as well as being members of the Barbados Labour Party. The subsequent switch of BWU support to the Democratic Labour Party was important in securing the latter's 1961 election victory. As well as alluding to domestic politics, the Caribbean Labour Congress materials here also indicate the support of the union movement for some form of federation within the West Indies.

Archival history

The Commonwealth Political Parties Materials collection was begun in 1960-61, with special emphasis being placed then, as now, on "primary material such as party constitutions, policy statements, convention reports and election manifestos." (ICS, Twelfth Annual Report 1960-1961). Since then, the main method of gathering material has been to appeal directly to political parties throughout the Commonwealth, though contributions from Institute members and staff following visits to relevant countries have been significant.
GB 0101 TU.BB 1945-1980 Collection (Fonds) 1 box Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Trades unions in Barbados were closely linked to the evolution of the party system in the years before independence, with leaders of the Barbados Workers' Union (BWU) sitting in the House of Assembly and on the Executive Council as well as being members of the Barbados Labour Party. The subsequent switch of BWU support to the Democratic Labour Party was important in securing the latter's 1961 election victory. As well as alluding to domestic politics, the Caribbean Labour Congress materials here also indicate the support of the union movement for some form of federation within the West Indies.

The Commonwealth Political Parties Materials collection was begun in 1960-61, with special emphasis being placed then, as now, on "primary material such as party constitutions, policy statements, convention reports and election manifestos." (ICS, Twelfth Annual Report 1960-1961). Since then, the main method of gathering material has been to appeal directly to political parties throughout the Commonwealth, though contributions from Institute members and staff following visits to relevant countries have been significant.

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Journals, newspapers, memorandums, constitutions, reports and conference reports issued by the Barbados Association of Local Government Officers, the Barbados Progressive Union of Workers, the Barbados Sugar and General Workers Union, the Barbados Workers' Union, and the Caribbean Labour Congress.

Further accruals are expected, some in electronic form.

Alphabetically by union, and then in rough chronological order.

Open to all for research purposes; access is free for anyone in higher education.

Copies can usually be obtained - apply to library staff.
English

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

See also Barbados: Pressure Groups Material (PG.BB) and Barbados: Political Party Material (PP.BB), as well as Political Party, Trades Unions and Pressure Group Materials for other Commonwealth countries and related material in the library's main classified sequence, all held at the ICS.

Description compiled by Daniel Millum, Political Archives Project Officer at the Institutes of Commonwealth and Latin American Studies.  Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.  Created 17/02/2004 AIM25 Barbados Barbados Association of Local Government Officers Barbados Progressive Union of Workers Barbados Sugar and General Workers Union Barbados Workers' Union Caribbean Caribbean Labour Congress Internal politics Labour relations Trade unions

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Journals, newspapers, memorandums, constitutions, reports and conference reports issued by the Barbados Association of Local Government Officers, the Barbados Progressive Union of Workers, the Barbados Sugar and General Workers Union, the Barbados Workers' Union, and the Caribbean Labour Congress.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals are expected, some in electronic form.

System of arrangement

Alphabetically by union, and then in rough chronological order.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Open to all for research purposes; access is free for anyone in higher education.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies can usually be obtained - apply to library staff.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

See also Barbados: Pressure Groups Material (PG.BB) and Barbados: Political Party Material (PP.BB), as well as Political Party, Trades Unions and Pressure Group Materials for other Commonwealth countries and related material in the library's main classified sequence, all held at the ICS.

Finding aids

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area