People Australia

Alexander (Alex) McLagan (1919-2012) moulder and trade union official

Birth: 10 February 1919 at Carrington, Newcastle, New South Wales, son of Alexander Buik McLagan (1886-1970), union official in Newcastle district, and Mary, née Clark (1888-1971). His parents, both born at Dundee, Scotland, had married in 1912 at Cowdenbeath, Fife, and arrived in Australia with his eldest sister in 1915. Marriage: 10 June 1942 in St John’s Anglican Church, Newcastle, to native-born Beverley Joyce Arnold (1922-2012). Death: 18 April 2012 in Calvary Hospital, Waratah, Newcastle. 

• Apprentice in moulding trade, Broken Hill Pty Ltd, from 1935 to 1940.
• Joined Newcastle branch, 1940. Federated Moulders’ (Metals) Union delegate, Steel foundry BHP about 1943 to 1958. Member, Branch Executive 1944. Branch president 1946 to 1952. Branch secretary 1952 to 1958. Member of the federal executive 1958 at least. Part-time official, Newcastle branch, 1958 at least.
• Federal secretary 1958-1970. Provided assistance in claims submitted by Federated Moulders’ (Metals) Union with Federal and State Industrial Authorities.
• Industrial subscriber’s representative, Newcastle Ambulance Board, 1949.
• Federated Moulders’ (Metals) Union Delegate, Newcastle Labor Council, 1944 at least. Federated Moulders’ (Metals) Union delegate, Labor Council of NSW and ACTU; Vice-president, Newcastle Labor Council for two years; Trustee Newcastle Labour Council 1958 at least.
• Foundation director, Trades Hall Council Workers’ Club, Newcastle.
• Assistant Federal Research Officer, ETU 1970. Labor Council of NSW delegate, Air Pollution Advisory Committee, 1970 at least;
• Representative of Australian Metal Trades Union at Metal Trades Union Committee of ILO, Geneva 1962 and committee member investigating Automation, Mechanisation and Technological Change, 1962.
• Student in industrial law, University of Sydney law school, 1970 at least,
• Member of ALP for many years and in Earlwood Branch from 1970 onwards.
  

Sources
Australian Foundry Worker, April 1958, p 11, April 1959, p 4; ETU News, December-January 1969-1970.