IISH

Peter Waterman Papers

Period 1944, 1947-1993
Total size   8.25 m.
Consultation Not restricted

Biography

Waterman, Peter (1936-); studied in London, Oxford, Birmingham (UK) and got a degree in West African Studies 1970s, later in Non-Western Studies; researcher and senior lecturer at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague (The Netherlands) on unionism and internationalism 1972-1998; scholar-activist and author; research projects on union and labour rights strategies in a changing global context by dockworkers under oppressed and Third World conditions.

Content

General correspondence 1971-1978; correspondence and other documents concerning his seminars at Birmingham University 1967-1973, his activities as coordinator, lecturer and field trip organiser at the ISS 1973-1981, 1989 and as editor of the Newsletter of International Labour Studies (NILS) 1978-1993; correspondence, notes and documentation concerning his research projects and subsequent publications and contributions to symposia on industrial relations, trade unions and labour in Nigeria 1944-1984, India 1951-1988, Spain 1966-1993, Peru 1974-1989 and the Philippines 1976-1990; documents of ISS-colleague Jos Hilhorst concerning advisory activities on the fifth five year development plan and regional development plans in Indonesia 1979-1992.

Processing information

List made by Wim Leendertse in 2004

INTRODUCTION

Peter Waterman was born in London (Great Britain) in 1936. He qualified as a journalist in 1955 and worked as such in Prague 1955-1958 for the International Union of Students (IUS) and in London 1960-1961. He studied and specialised on labour history at Ruskin College (Social and Economic Studies) and Oxford University (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) 1961-1965. From 1965 to 1969 he worked for the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) in Prague as a labour education officer for and in English-speaking Africa, ran a national trade union course in Nigeria in 1968 for the Nigerian Trade Union Congress (NTUC), used the opportunity to do research in Nigeria and to return to England, where he took a Master's degree in West African Studies at the University of Birmingham. He was a lecturer on world contemporary history at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Nigeria), 1970-1972. In 1972 Waterman became a researcher and senior lecturer at the Institute of Social Studies (ISS) in The Hague (The Netherlands) on unions, social movements and internationalism, first in Labour Studies Programmes, then until 1998 in the Po litics of Alternative Development Strategies Programme. His Ph.D. (Non-Western Studies, Nijmegen 1983) was on the political and theoretical significance of portworker and dockworker relations in Lagos (Nigeria) until the 1970s. He did studies on union and labour rights strategies by Spanish dockworkers in European context in the 1980s and has also worked in and on labour, national and international social movements in India, South Africa and Latin America.

Waterman has written academic papers, books and articles, and been published in several languages. He was founder, editor and publisher of the Newsletter of International Labour Studies 1978-1990, publication of which was one activity of the International Labour Education, Research and Information (ILERI) Foundation. Since 1985 he has been researching new internationalisms like the renewal of labour movement in relation to new global communication methods, networks and a global economy. In the 1990s Waterman was involved in a number of experimental websites, to be found by searching the web for Global Solidarity Dialogue (GSD, GloSoDia) and relating to new global social and solidarity movements seeking alternatives to capitalist and neo-liberal globalization. He became a scholar-activist and contributed to the activities of the progressive research and educational centre International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE) in Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and, since opting for early retirement in 1998, he increased his academic and political involvement in activities for the World Social Forum (WSF) and the global justice and solidarity movement more generally. Bibliographies of his work can be found on the internet.

Waterman's collection of documents was received by the IISH in 1998. It contains documents collected during and dating from his research periods in several countries. In addition, papers and articles on the same topic areas and received by Waterman as a lecturer and staff member at the ISS and as an editor and reviewer for periodicals such as the newsletter and Development and change, an ISS periodical, can be found throughout the collection. A number of periodicals and books have been transferred to the library of the IISH. Also being present at the IISH is a set of microfiched documents 'Nigerian Labour Archive' on Nigerian trade unions 1943-1975, which was, like the set 'The Nigerian Trade Union Tribunal of 1976', edited by Waterman and published by Inter Documentation Company (IDC).

LIST

India

1
Pages from the National Atlas of India.  1959- 1979;
Maps and guides of Bihar, Poona, Bombay, Delhi and other parts of India.  1969, 1972, 1978-1980 and n.d;
Academic reports, articles and bibliographic clippings concerning politics and socio-economics in India.  1979- 1989;
Photocopies of articles in the Economic and political weekly and Frontier by Timir Basu.  1975- 1980.
 1 box.
2
Annual reports, academic reports and prospectuses of the Institute of Labour Studies (ILS) and the Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI) in Jamshedpur, the Xavier Institute of Social Service (XISS) in Ranchi and other institutes concerning labour studies and trade unionists training programmes.  1973- 1983;
Reports and articles concerning development activists education.  1978- 1985.
 1 box.
3-7
Academic reports, articles and thematic papers concerning labour rights and development in India.  1951, 1971-1988. 4 boxes and 1 folder.
3
Union and labour rights history in India. 1951, 1971- 1982;
Indian National Metalworkers' Federation (INMF) and International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF). 1976-1980;
Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, Asian Regional Organisation (ICFTU-ARO) and others. 1971- 1982.
4
Employment and unemployment, industrial relations, small scale industry and working women. 1971-1988.
5
Child labour, bonded labour and development projects. 1977- 1986.
6-7
Bombay and Maharashtra, Calcutta and West Bengal, Chotanagpur and Bihar, Dhanbad, Delhi and Ghazipur. 1977-1988. (box and folder)
8
Thematic maps of Jamshedpur.  1978 and n.d.;
Annual reports, information bulletins, collective agreements, clippings and academic papers concerning the Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) and the Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company (TELCO) in Jamshedpur.  1959, 1972-1984.
 1 box.

Indonesia

9-21
Correspondence, reports and other documents of ISS- colleague J.G.M. (Jos) Hilhorst concerning his advisory and mission leader activities on development projects by Badan Perencanaan Pembangunan Nasional (Bappenas, the Development Planning Agency of Indonesia), Bappeda, the provincial development planning board in Aceh, and Bappeda West-Java, jointly funded by the governments of Indonesia and the Netherlands. 1979-1992. 7 folders and 6 boxes.
9-12
LTA-47 Research coordination and planning development programme West Java, project on managing regional development. 1984-1989. (3 folders and 1 box)
13-14
JTA-9a-21 Institutional Development Assistance Project (IDAP) Aceh, project on university education and research improvement, later on regional planning assistance to Bappeda, and in preparation of project LTA-77. 1979- 1986. (2 boxes)
15-17
LTA-77 Rural development in Aceh, including subprojects, and LTA-77 Canard (Central- and North Aceh development project, fase II). 1986- 1989. (2 folders and 1 box)
18-21
LTA-97 National Regional Development Study, the preparation of Repelita V, the fifth five year development plan for Indonesia, formulating a development strategy for the first half on the 1990s, constructing a macro economic model and a regional simulation model. 1984-1992. (2 boxes and 2 folders)

Nigeria

22-23
Correspondence of Waterman with and concerning Nigerian persons and organizations, lists of addresses and visiting cards.  1973- 1983. 2 folders.
24
Circulars, drafts, notes, stencilled contributions from others and documentation concerning his 1968-1969 and 1976 seminars in Nigeria on trade union education.  1967-1969, 1976. 1 folder.
25
Correspondence, circulars, drafts, notes, stencilled contributions from others and documentation concerning his 1969-1970 seminars 'Religion, control and rebellion in tropical Africa' (n.d.), 'History of West and North West Africa', 'Problems of nation building in Africa', 'The economics of development with special reference to Africa' at Birmingham University and articles on Biafra and the Nigerian civil war.  1967-1973 and n.d. 1 box.
26
Correspondence and drafts concerning his research on the assumption of the existence of a labour aristocracy in Africa.  1973. 1 folder.
27-29
Correspondence, drafts and notes concerning his research project 'Structure, Organisation, Strategy and Action of Lagos Port Workers', started in 1974 in Europe and continued in Lagos (Nigeria), on unions, industrial differentiation, behaviour and attitudes of workers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and those employed by private contractors.  1974-1979. 3 folders.
30-31
Drafts of his study 'Wage Labour Relations in Nigeria. State, Capitalists, Unions and Workers in the Lagos Cargo-Handling Industry' (1979).  1977- 1979. 1 box and 1 folder.
32-33
Correspondence and other documents concerning his collaboration with the Civil Service Technical Workers Union of Nigeria (CSTWUN) on a 1982 national trade union seminar, lectures and other educational activities in Nigeria.  1979-1983. 2 folders.
34-35
Draft of his dissertation 'Aristocrats and Plebeians in African Trade Unions? Lagos Port and Dock Worker Organisation and Struggle'.  1983. 2 folders.
36-37
Documents concerning interviews of port and dock workers and trade union officers in the port of Lagos.  1973-1978. 2 folders.
38
Correspondence and other documents concerning his bibliographic research on Nigerian and related titles, works consulted for his dissertation and projects on a bibliography on labour relations in Nigeria and the indexing and microfilming collected series of the Nigerian Trade Union Congress newspaper Advance. Nigerian workers' own newspaper. A socialist weekly.  1965, 1968, 1970- 1984. 1 box.
39
Maps and various publications concerning Lagos and Nigeria in general.  1970-1980. 1 folder.
40
Lists of data concerning trade and industrial enterprises and various publications concerning North Central State, later Kaduna State.  1970, 1973 and 1981. 1 folder.
41-49
Academic reports, thematic papers and articles concerning labour and development in Nigeria.  1947, 1951, 1958-1959, 1963-1984. 8 boxes and 1 folder.
41
Various. 1965, 1968-1977.
42
Various. 1978-1984 and n.d.
43
Nigerian history. 1969-1977. (folder)
44
Economic and socio-economic situation. 1967- 1984.
45
Political development, socialism and communism. 1964- 1984.
46-47
Labour, working class and employment. 1964- 1984;
Industrial relations. 1965-1984;
Trade union movement in general. 1947, 1951, 1963- 1982.
48-49
Labour, trade disputes and trade unions legislation. 1958-1959, 1965-1981;
Wages, collective bargaining, disputes and strikes. 1959, 1963- 1978, 1981;
Registered trade unions, mergers and splits. 1961, 1965-1977.
50-56
Circulars, reports, conference and thematic papers concerning dock labour, cargo handling and other workers' unions and employers' associations.  1944, 1948, 1951-1958, 1961-1984. 7 boxes.
50
Various.
51
All-Nigerian Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) and others until mid 1960's;
Amalgamated Dockworkers Transport and General Workers Union (ADTGWU, United Labour Congress affiliated);
Amalgamated Dockworkers Transport and General Workers Union (ADW, Nigerian Trade Union Congress affiliated);
Civil Service Technical Workers Union of Nigeria (CSTWU);
Dockworkers' Union of Nigeria (DUN);
Flour Mills of Nigeria Workers Union;
Holt's African Workers' Union of Nigeria.
52
Independent United Labour Congress (IULC);
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF);
Marine Engineering Staff Association of Nigeria;
Marine Floating Staff Association, later Nigerian Maritime Workers' Union;
National Union of Hotel and Personal Services Workers (NUHPSEW);
Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU);
Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA).
53
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC);
Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT);
Nigerian Federation of Labour (NFL);
Nigerian Marine African Workers' Union;
Nigerian Maritime Trade Union's Federation;
Nigerian Trade Union Congress (NTUC) (I).
54
Nigerian Trade Union Congress (NTUC) (II);
Nigerian Transport and General Workers' Union;
Nigerian Union of Bank, Insurance and Allied Workers (NUBIAW);
Nigerian Workers' Council (NWC);
Northern Federation of Labour (NFL);
Precision Electrical and Related Equipment Workers' Union;
Railway and Ports Transport and Clerical Staff Union of Nigeria (R&PTCSU).
55
Railway and Ports Workers' Union;
Union of Postal and Telecommunications Workers of Nigeria (P&T);
United Committee of Central Labour Organisations (UCCLO) and Wages and Salaries Review Commission (Adebo Commission);
United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC, ULCN).
56
Farmers and rural institutions, front and international friendship organizations;
Public, railway, textile and university unions and associations;
Other unions and associations.
57-69
Documents concerning labour and industrial relations at Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and W. Biney & Co. (Nigeria) Ltd. in Lagos.  1955-1982. 9 boxes and 4 folders.
57-58
W. Biney & Co (Nigeria) Ltd, Biney Dock Workers' Union, Biney Workers' Union (BWU) and Biney Staff Association (BSA). 1956, 1959, 1962-1977. (folders)
59-60
NPA annual reports. 1962-1975. (box and folder)
61-62
NPA organization. 1955, 1961-1980. (box and folder)
63
NPA labour and industrial relations. 1957, 1961- 1979.
64
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Workers' Union and other NPA unions and associations. 1956, 1961- 1982.
65-68
Tribunal of Inquiry into the Affairs of the Nigerian Ports Authority, days 1- 7, 10-13, 16, visit to quays, 43-72. 1966- 1967.
69
Records of some exhibits proposed to the tribunal. 1966- 1967;
Report of the tribunal and comment on the report. 1967- 1968;
Draft of an index of names, organizations and subjects in volumes of the proceedings of the tribunal and correspondence concerning the indexing project. 1976-1979.
70-73
Publications by the Federal Ministries of Labour, Information and Economic Development, the Federal Office of Statistics and federal and Kaduna State commissions on various subjects.  1950-1976, 1980. 4 boxes.
70
Constitution and laws; national development plans; employment; industrial directories. 1959, 1962, 1965, 1970-1972, 1975- 1976.
71
Statistics. 1969-1970, 1973;
Annual reports of the Department, later Federal Ministry of Labour. 1950-1967.
72
Monthly, later quarterly reports of the Federal Ministry of Labour. 1958-1959, 1962, 1965-1971;
National standard classification of occupations. 1966.
73
Reports on grading and pay. 1964, 1966, 1974;
Kaduna State development plan and lands investigation. 1970, 1980.

Peru

74-77
Bulletins, conference papers, reports, drafts of work reports, bibliographic summaries and paper clippings concerning Peruvian trade unions.  1974-1977, 1982- 1987. With correspondence concerning Peter Waterman's contribution to workshops and symposia in Lima (Peru) 1987, Barcelona (Spain) 1988, Ottawa (Canada) 1988 and, place not mentioned, 1989, on the democratisation of international labour communication.  1987- 1989. 3 boxes and 1 folder.
74-75
General, historical and international aspects of syndicalism in Peru.
76
Confederación general de trabajadores del Perú (CGTP);
Federación de trabajadores de luz y fuerza del Perú;
Federación nacional de trabajadores mineros, metalúrgicos y siderúrgicos del Perú (FNTMMSP);
Sindicato de los trabajadores de la empresa nacional de puertos - Callao (SITENAPU).
77
Correspondence concerning workshops and symposia. (folder)

Philippines

78-84
Documents concerning his research on the renewal of trade-unionism in the Philippines effected by and mobilising international labour communication.  1988- 1990. With documentation.  1976-1991. 4 boxes and 3 folders.
78-79
Waterman's research proposal and journey to Manila. (folders)
80
Bibliographic research.
81
Political and economical situation in the Philippines;
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN, New Nationalist Federation, New Patriotic Alliance) and Bukluran sa Ika-uunlad ng Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (BISIG, Union for the Advancement of Socialist Thought and Practice); Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP);
National Democratic Front (NDF).
82
Labour and industrial relations in general;
Labour situation of women workers, migrant workers overseas, port workers and seamen;
Trade union movement and worker's education.
83
Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU, May First Movement);
Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP);
International trade union organizations.
84
Philippine workers support from Australia and Europe;
Philippine workers support from the USA;
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others.

Spain

85-89
Documents concerning his study and subsequent publications on labour rights communication by dockworkers in Barcelona (Spain).  1985-1992. With documents concerning his contribution to conferences in Hamburg (Germany) 1985, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 1989 and London (UK) 1993 on port workers and international communication.  1985-1993. With documentation.  1966- 1993. 4 boxes and 1 folder.
85
Correspondence, drafts and other documents concerning his reports on Barcelona. 1985-1992;
86
Barcelona and international newsletters on strikes in Spanish harbours. 1975-1988, 1991. (folder)
87
Documents concerning solidarity by and with Spanish dockers. 1976, 1979-1989;
Documents concerning international conferences on dockworkers. 1978-1993.
88
Academic reports and articles on dock labour in ports in other countries. 1966-1991.
89
Clippings concerning dock labour and strikes in ports in other countries. 1972-1993.

Various documents

90-92
General correspondence.  1971-1978. 3 folders.
90
1971-1974.
91
1975-1977.
92
1977-1978.
93-94
Documents concerning his activities as editor of the Newsletter of International Labour Studies (NILS) and as co-founder and treasurer of the Foundation for International Labour Education, Research and Information (Stichting Ileri).  1978-1993. 2 folders.
95-97
Programs, correspondence and other documents concerning his activities for the ISS International Diploma Programme in Industrial Relations and Labour Studies (IRLS) and as organiser of IRLS-field trips to Yugoslavia in 1975, 1977 and 1978 for the study project on self-management in Yugoslavia.  1973-1978. 3 folders.
95
1973-1975.
96
1976-1977.
97
1977-1978.
98-99
Correspondence, academic papers by Waterman and others, drafts and notes concerning his activities as coordinator and lecturer for the 1979-1981 ISS Master's Degree in Development Studies and sub-specialisation Labour Studies.  1979-1981, 1989. 2 folders.
100-101
Documentation concerning industrial relations and collective bargaining at Philips, Unilever, other multinationals and in relation to new technologies.  1971-1989. 2 folders.

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