People Australia

Alexander Kenneth McNeil (1873-1937) coal miner and trade union official 

Birth: 1873 at London, England, son of Alexander McNeil, farmer, and Mary, née Shannon. Unmarried. Death: 27 April 1937 in hospital at Inglewood, Victoria. 

• To Broken Hill first in 1899, and lived there periodically until 1936. Worked along the line of lode for many years. Also worked in mines in Victoria and Queensland.
• Involved in Big Strike at Broken Hill in 1919? and subsequently was not re-hired. Employed at the British mine but rejected by Commission.
• Prospector but basically unemployed from about 1928 to 1934 at least.
• Held various positions on Workers’ Industrial Union of Australasia (WIUofA) including vice-president in 1923 and representative on Barrier Industrial Council. WIUofA delegate to the All Australian Trade union Congress once in Melbourne and another time in Sydney. Delegate to the first WIUofA Convention in 1925.
• Delegate to Central Council for local branch of WIUofA on many occasions including in 1934. Representative from Barrier Industrial Council in Melbourne for 1925 agreement.
• Vice-president Barrier Industrial Council (BIC) for six years between 1923 and 1934; part-time secretary from 1934, succeeding W. Eriksen, full-time from April 1936. Assisted in organising felspar workers so as to obtain a satisfactory price for their material.
• Retired as BIC secretary in January 1937.
• Member of the Australian Labor Party, held executive office during the Considine-Blakeney feud.
• Representative of workers on Hospital Board of Directors 1923-34. President of Silver City Workingmen's Club.
• Cause of death: lobar pneumonia, toxaemia and heart failure [pleurisy].

Sources
Daily Truth, (Broken Hill), 13 April 1934.