E.P O'Neill (1876-1952)

"Uncrowned King of Broken Hill"

(Edited from "Paddy O'Neill, Man of Peace", Barrier Daily Truth, and "Paddy O'Neill, The Uncrowned King", Conveyor, May 1952, June 1952) See Also: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/AS10382b.htm

Should a Hall of Fame be dedicated to industrial leaders in Australia, a prominent space would be occupied in telling the life story of Paddy O'Neill and the honour, esteem and regard in which he is held. An almost legendary figure, whose word was word in Broken Hill and who was called the "Uncrowned King of Broken Hill". Eugene Patrick was born on June 12th, 1876, son of James O'Neill and Catherine O'Reilly. His father James was born in County Clare, Ireland, and came to Australia as a child in 1835.

Eugene grew up in the south-west corner of New South Wales, where the Darling Sheds its waters into the River Murray, and the township of Wentworth had become an important hub for river traffic. During his boyhood he would spend whatever time he could on the river banks. These opportunities were not frequent, as there were family chores to be done, and he and his elder brothers, Martin and Jack, were required to help their contractor father. School days for young Paddy were no answer to the call of the river, and one period of "wagging it" from school extended to nine months.

At this time O'Neill Senior, was dam sinking in the Ana Branch area. The work was hard and money was scarce. The activities of Chaffey Brothers in opening the Mildura irrigation area gave new opportunities for contracting. (See http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070609b.htm) The O'Neill family worked on this project for two years. Then the heavy work started to take its toll on his father. Illness made it necessary for O'Neill, Senior, to give up contracting. He set the boys up in a carting business, with bullock teams.

Brother Jack decided to go to Broken Hill and investigate the Silver City. He married and settled in Broken Hill and advised his father to bring the family here. The family migrated to Broken Hill, arriving on young Paddy's eighteenth birthday. With horses and drays they were kept busy with carting contracts and wood carting.

Twelve months after arrival a series of mishaps heralded a bad time for the family, which was climaxed by the death of Mr. O'Neill, Senior.

The brothers carried on their father's business, but to cap their misfortune, the horses were poisoned drinking contaminated water and died. This episode marked the end of the carrying business, and the most of the brothers had to take labouring jobs in the mines. Paddy, worked for many years on the surface, at some of the shearing sheds in the district and doing casual work. Eventually, however, Paddy decided he would get a job underground. At this period jobs were not plentiful and many men were walking the line of lode, seeking employment. Paddy eventually landed a job on the Broken Hill Proprietary Co. Ltd. mine, shovelling coal and handling flux (bought from Tarrawingi) and ironstone for the smelters. The work was hard and heavy, and conditions were bad. But bad times forced the mill to close down, and Paddy was again on the labour market.

By this time Paddy became interested in union matters and took his stand with those who were determined to improve working conditions on the field for the working man.

His next job was at the Central mine, in the smelters; but when Block 14 mill started up again, he returned to his former job. The Block 14 mill again closed down and Paddy joined the ranks of the hundreds that were seeking employment. For nine months he walked from mine to mine hoping for a "pick-up".

After a period in the open cut Paddy took a job trucking on the North Mine, where he worked for two years. His active interest in union matters resulted in Paddy being appointed at this time to represent the men in negotiating with North Broken Hill Mining Company for the improvement of working conditions. Although after several verbal cases very little was gained one way or the other, it had instituted a new approach, by negotiation.

At that time efforts had been made to bring about an association or federation of unions before the turn of the century by a band of unionists who called themselves The Barrier Labor Federation. The feud between the militant Amalgamated Miner's Association (AMA) and the more conservative skilled and semi-skilled trade unions made progress difficult. However, about 1906, they were successful in forming a committee of union delegates for the purpose of meeting the Wages Committee of the Mining Managers Association. The work of this committee was encouraging, but it was eventually dominated by the AMA.

It was in this period of union unrest, in 1908, that Paddy took over the secretaryship of the A.M.A. South Branch. Times were turbulent and the policy of the union was becoming more militant, but his organising ability was gaining prominence, and under his guidance another effort was made to amalgamate all unions.

In 1913 Paddy was offered a job in the services of the City Council as a municipal employee, which he accepted on April 30th, and he remained in the Council's employ until his retirement in 1950.

At the time when Paddy joined the Council there was a movement afoot to form a Union of the Council employees. Paddy participated in this movement, and in good time, though not without some disharmony in the early stages, a well-organised Union was formed.

After the formation of the Municipal Employees Union, Paddy resigned from the Secretaryship of the South Branch of the A.M.A. He had been elected President of the Municipal Employees Union, and he decided that he could not hold office in two unions, particularly since their policies had not always coincided. To use Paddy's own words, "You could not swap horses while crossing a stream". Later Paddy was elected Secretary of the Municipal Employees Union, an office which he retained until his retirement.

Paddy's continued campaigning for the establishment of a single controlling body for Broken Hill unionism and his capable handling of the affairs of his own Union won him widespread support and friendship in Union circles. His united front underwent a gruelling test in 1919-20 when Broken Hill was again plunged into a bitter industrial dispute. This time, the companies capitulated.

After the strike, Paddy devoted his efforts to securing unity in organised labour in Broken Hill. During the war the AMA. had withdrawn from the Trades and Labour Council, and as the AMA. was the most powerful of all the Unions the Trades and Labour Council was not very effective. At this time the AMA., which was shortly to change its name to Workers Industrial Union of Australia (Barrier District), was in conflict with two other Unions. One of these was a small Union called the Barrier Workers' Association (B.W.A.) consisting of a small number of underground workers who continued at work while the AMA. was on strike.

Bill Eriksen was at that period President of the Trades and Labour Council, but did not stand for re-election. Billy Jenkins persuaded Paddy to stand for the office and he was elected President of the Council. The Council was in a position to organise, and under a hard-working executive great strides were made. In March, 1924, it was suggested that the Trades and Labour Council should be replaced or incorporated in a new organisation to be known as The Barrier Industrial and Political Council. It was proposed that the new Council should have both the functions of the Trades and Labour Council with the functions of the Barrier District Association of the Australian Labour Council.

Paddy bitterly fought this suggestion of political inclusion. His version was that the Council's function was to govern matters that were the concern of all unionists, but to leave each individual free to govern his own political views.

The latter suggestion won and the word "political" was dropped from the title. The Barrier Industrial Council (B.I.C.) was thus formed with Paddy O'Neill as its first President.

Under the strict guidance of Paddy O'Neill and his executive, the B.I.C. emerged into a powerful body, but the going was not easy. One of the first tasks of the new Barrier Industrial Council was to seek a new agreement with the Companies since working conditions had not been altered since the days of the Big Strike.

Paddy, as the President of the B.I.C., was at the head of the negotiations from the Union side and eventually, in 1925, an agreement was made. Other agreements were negotiated and made in 1939, 1932, 1935, 1939, 1943 and 1946, and in all these negotiations Paddy, as President of the B.I.C., led the Union delegates.

Paddy remained President of the B.I.C. from its inception until 1949. On his retirement he was able to look back with some pride on the fact that it was largely through the part played by himself that the Broken Hill system of industrial negotiation had been developed.

Paddy's advice to Union leaders on his retirement was typical of the man. "The only advice I have to offer you," he said, "is don't be in too big a hurry to talk; let the other chap talk, you listen to him and then you talk."

Eugene Patrick "Paddy" O'Neill passed away in 1953, shortly after receiving a special decoration from the Pope.

After a lifetime of work for the Broken Hill citizens, based on the principle that "there was always a solution possible by negotiation, 'he was buried with all the respect and reverence that he had earned from those citizens.'

Playing the plaintive strains of Chopin's Funeral March, the BIU Band headed the mile long cortege that passed through streets lined by hundreds of mourners.

Eugene Patrick O'Neill