GB 0101 TU.CE - Sri Lanka: Trades Unions Material

1 box

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.CE 1963-1992 Collection (Fonds) 1 box Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Sri Lanka had been traditionally highly unionised, particularly in the state sector, and the majority of the materials held here date from the period in the 1970s when the influence of organised labour was at its highest. Most of the items originate from umbrella organisations like the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), whose relative militancy prior to 1977 and subsequent support for the United National Party government that came to power that year epitomises the ebbing of union power in the 1980s. Some of the material found here relates to the struggle for worker's rights in the most turbulent sector of the island's economy, tea production.

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

Reports, rules and regulations, manifestos, resolutions, statements, constitutions and addresses issued by the All Ceylon United Workers Congress, the Ceylon Bank Employees' Union, the Ceylon Federation of Labour, the Ceylon Workers' Congress and the Government Clerical Service Union.

No further accruals are expected at present.

Alphabetically by union, 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.
Mostly English, some in Tamil and Sinhalese

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

See also Sri Lanka: Political Parties Material (PP.CE) and Sri Lanka: Pressure Groups Material (PG.CE), 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 22/09/2004 AIM25 Agricultural land All Ceylon United Workers Congress Central government Ceylon Bank Employees' Union Ceylon Federation of Labour Ceylon Workers' Congress Civil service Government Government Clerical Service Union Internal politics Labour relations Plantations Political parties Political science Politics Public administration South Asia Sri Lanka Trade unions

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Reports, rules and regulations, manifestos, resolutions, statements, constitutions and addresses issued by the All Ceylon United Workers Congress, the Ceylon Bank Employees' Union, the Ceylon Federation of Labour, the Ceylon Workers' Congress and the Government Clerical Service Union.

No further accruals are expected at present.

Alphabetically by union, 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

• Latin

Mostly English, some in Tamil and Sinhalese

See also Sri Lanka: Political Parties Material (PP.CE) and Sri Lanka: Pressure Groups Material (PG.CE), 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.

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

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.

• English