Kevin Carroll

Interviewed by
Rodney Sullivan and Robin Sullivan
Jun 20 2013
Kevin Carroll, 2013

Trade Unionist Kevin Carroll has been a member of the Building Workers Industrial Union (amalgamated into the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union in 1991) since 1965, and has held prominent roles within both the BWIU and the Trades and Labor Council. He discusses his career within the building and construction industry, and highlights some of the key challenges facing the union movement.

Biography
Time Summary Keywords
00:00:00

Kevin Carroll reads a prepared statement about his involvement with the union movement.

 BWIU, CFMEU, Labour Day, North Queensland, SEQEB dispute, Townsville, Trades and Labor Council
00:08:32

Kevin Carroll outlines his father's union involvement. He discusses the paid positions he held with the Building Workers Industrial Union (BWIU) and Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) from 1983 to 1998, and the most stressful issue he faced as a union official during this time.

 BWIU, CFMEU, Federated Iron Workers Union, workplace safety
00:10:05

Kevin Carroll discusses some of the industrial disputes he was involved in and was aware of during his union career.

 demarcation disputes, Fred Brown, Hugh Hamilton, industrial disputes, Kevin Loughlin, SEQEB dispute, Townsville, Wallace Trohear, workplace safety
00:12:52

Kevin Carroll talks about his involvement in anti-uranium protests.

 protest, Townsville, Trades and Labor Council, uranium mining, Waterside Workers Federation
00:14:15

Kevin Carroll describes his involvement in the efforts to recruit more Indigenous members to the building and construction industry. He speaks about his active interest and involvement in addressing Indigenous issues.

 Bob Anderson, BWIU, Indigenous issues, Palm Island, Rockhampton, union membership
00:17:17

Kevin Carroll speaks about his interactions with peak union bodies, and outlines the history of the link between the Trades and Labor Council and political parties.

 peak bodies, Townsville, Trades and Labor Council
00:19:36

Kevin Carroll recalls the politicians he has had direct contact with over his union career. He discusses his involvement in the anti-Vietnam War movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

 Alex Wilson, Margaret Reynolds, Mike Reynolds, Percy Tucker, SEQEB dispute, Ted Lindsay, Townsville, Townsville City Council, Vietnam War
00:24:29

Kevin Carroll discusses the amalgamation of the building unions into the CFMEU, and talks about what he sees as some of the benefits of amalgamation.

 BWIU, CFMEU, union amalgamation, workplace safety
00:27:46

Kevin Carroll discusses declining membership of unions, and the challenges they face in educating younger members of the building and construction industry about the role and importance of unions.

 Australian Building and Construction Commission, CFMEU, declining union membership
00:29:22

Kevin Carroll discusses his role as both a union official and an ALP member, and acknowledges the conflict existing between the two. He speaks about the relationship between trade unions and the Labor Party, and the importance of the partnership.

 union positions
00:32:10

Kevin Carroll outlines what needs to be done to reverse the decline in union membership. He highlights in particular the importance of having education about trade unions as part of the school curriculum.

 declining union membership, Indigenous issues
00:34:49

Kevin Carroll discusses unionism in North Queensland and its similarites with unionism across Australia.

 North Queensland, unions
00:36:10

Kevin Carroll talks about the single most influential trade union member he has met in his career.

 Col Emery, ETU, union solidarity
00:39:19

Kevin Carroll discusses the disappointments and achievements of his career. He names his greatest achievement as being able to have helped out workers throughout his career in the union movement.

 apprenticeships, Gough Whitlam, Whitlam Government 1972-75
00:43:18

Interview ends
Position:
Trade Unionist
Bailiwick:
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union
Decade:
1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s
Sound byte: 

Kevin Carroll

Biography

Kevin Carroll, 2013

Trade Unionist Kevin Carroll has been a member of the Building Workers Industrial Union (amalgamated into the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union in 1991) since 1965, and has held prominent roles within both the BWIU and the Trades and Labor Council.

Kevin Carroll began his career in the building and construction industry as an apprentice carpenter in Traralgon, Victoria in 1963. In 1965, as a second year apprentice, he joined the Building Workers Industrial Union (BWIU). Carroll began active membership with the Queensland branch of the BWIU in 1971, and remained active until his retirement in 2013.

Carroll became a BWIU representative to the Townsville Trades and Labor Council in 1974, and held this position until 1999. During this time, he worked in a number of roles within the Trades and Labor Council, including as a member of the executive committee, vice president, and president. Other union positions Carroll has held include membership on the Labour Day Committee from 1975 to 1995, the Apprenticeship Advisory Committee from 1978 to 1986, the BWIU State Management Committee from 1980 to 2009, and a full time Organiser for the BWIU from 1983 to 1998. Alongside his trade union positions, Carroll also joined the Australian Labor Party in 1977, and was an active member for thirty-four years.

On his retirement in 2013, Carroll was made an honorary member of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).

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