People Australia

Michael (Mick) O'Brien (1900-1967) clerk, trade union official

Birth: 15 April 1900 at Toowoomba, Queensland, son of John Joseph O'Brien (1866-1932), farmer and member of parliament, and Margaret Mary, née Fahy (1875-1955). Both parents were born at Toowoomba. Marriage: 31 July 1937 at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Kangaroo Point, Brisbane, to Ethel Morrison (1899-1981). Death: 21 August 1967 at Ryde District Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales; usual residence Wharf Road, Ermington, NSW. Religion: Catholic. 

• His father was Labor member of parliament for seat of Aubigny from 1904 to 1907.
• Mick joined the Railway Department in 1915 as a junior clerk in the Clerical Branch. Joined Queensland Railways Union in 1915 and was active in Clerical Group from 1917.
• Prominent in 1925 strike and in the struggle against Hayes-ites in 1926. Chairman of Metropolitan Lock-out Committee during South Johnstone lockout in 1927. District President Southern Division 1927-1930. Organising work in Southern Division. Secretary North Brisbane Sub-Branch 1928-1930.
• Representative for South-Eastern District on State Council 1928. Member, State Council from 1928, State Treasurer, 1929, Qld State President from 1929 to 1952. Acting Qld.? State secretary and acting editor of Advocate. Acting assistant NSW? State secretary. From 1956 secretary of head office section. Australian Councillor 1935-1937. Appointed full-time officer Australian Railways Union in 1948. General Secretary of the ARU, succeeding Jack Chapple, from 1952 until his death [based in Sydney].
• Editor of Railroad. Representative of union in Industrial Court on interpretation of award. Represented members of all grades on Inquiry and Appeal Board. Member of Combined Railway Union Central Committee including president. Chairman of central strike committee for 10-week strike in support of Mooney Margins in 1948.
• Delegate to Officers' Division Management Committee. First deputy representing officers and employees on Board of Discipline. Delegate to TUC. Committee and executive member of the Qld Trades and Labor Council including vice-president. Delegate to Australian Council of Trade Unions and member of inter-state executive as ACTU representative on Transport Group of Unions. Workers' delegate to International Labour Organization conference in Geneva. Member of NSW Australian Labor Party.
• Councillor on Qld Railway Institute for several years, including treasurer. Founding member and first secretary of Queensland Railway Institute cricket club. Manager of several railway cricket teams. Member of Carlton and Valley Football Clubs.
• Cause of death: cardiac failure and carcinoma of the lung.

Sources
Advocate, 16 January 1939, p 6, 15 May 1945, p 4; ARU 24th Meeting of Australian Council, April 1952; Railroad, 30 September 1955, p 1 Vol. 31 No. 9; Railways Union Gazette, June 1957, p 3; Seamen's Journal, September 1967, p 243; Railway Review, September-October 1967 p 1; Sheet Metal Worker, Oct. 1967; ARU, Thirty-third meeting of Australian Council, 29 April to 3 May 1968.