Singapore: Trades Unions Materials

Scope and Content

Singapore trade union material, 1964 onwards, comprising histories, constitutions, leaflets, informational pamphlets, magazines, resolutions, conference reports, programmes and papers issued by the Metal Industries Workers Union (Singapore), the Singapore Air Transport-Workers' Union, the Singapore Commercial House and Factory Employees Union, the Singapore National Trades Union Congress and the Singapore Portworkers' Union.

Administrative / Biographical History

The majority of the materials currently held in this collection originate from the Singapore National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), a union federation loyal to the state and geared more towards guaranteeing productivity than fighting for worker's rights. A large part of their output here comprises reports on tripartite meetings with government and employers, as well as pamphlets designed to inform their membership of relevant legislation or of changes in economic policy.

Arrangement

Alphabetically by union, and then in rough chronological order.

Access Information

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

Acquisition Information

Institute of Commonwealth Studies

Other Finding Aids

Records at item level on library catalogue (SASCAT)

Archivist's Note

Description compiled by Daniel Millum, Political Archives Project Officer at the Institutes of Commonwealth and Latin American Studies.

Conditions Governing Use

Copies can usually be obtained - apply to library staff.

Custodial 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.

Accruals

Further accruals are expected, some in electronic form.

Related Material

See also Singapore: Political Parties and Pressure Groups Materials (PP.SI) 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.