
Issue No 84		16 February 2001

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Trades Hall

Heroes of the Movement

Four unsung heroes of the NSW trade union movement were recgnised at this week's Labor Council Annual General Meeting when they received prestigious Scrolls of Hounour


	Sam Moait congratulates Kirsty Campbell

Alex Sawtochuk from the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division NSW Divisional Branch . Alex joined the Brick Tile and Pottery Union in 1952. In 1973 Alex was elected State President of the Brick Tile and Pottery Union and in 1974 held the position of Federal Council delegate. In 1980 Alex was elected as an Organiser and then in 1984 he was elected to State Secretary of the Brick Tile and Pottery Union. When asked what he considered to be his greatest reward and achievement during his long involvement in the Trade Union movement, his reply is always the same "I met and helped the ordinary worker on the shop floor and in the end left my union in good standing".

Paul Fredrick Ritsch from Transport Workers' Union of Australia New South Wales Branch. Paul joined the TWU in 1960. In March 1999 he was awarded life membership of the TWU. Paul has served continuously since 1983 on the TWU's Branch Committee of Management. Between 1989 and 1995 Paul served as the State President of the TWU. Paul is a proud Father and Grandfather and while he's retired, he still remains involved in the union, playing an active role. He is a regular at weekly Labor Council meetings.

Emlyn Van Brussel - from the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division NSW Divisional Branch. Emlyn joined the Federated Engine Drivers and Fireman's Association in 1968. He served on that union's governing body for several years.In the early 1990's with the amalgamation Emlyn was elected to the CFMEU's State Council.Since 1990 Emlyn has played an invaluable role as the CFMEU's Port Macquarie Town Steward and worked within the Hastings District Trades and Labor Council. Although retired, Emlyn continues to be actively involved in the trade union movement.

Kirsty Campbell from the Finance Sector Union of Australia. Kirsty has been an active unionist in New Zealand and Australia for 22 years.Kirsty was employed at the FSU for 10 years and was Assistant Secretary of the FSU from 1997 to 2000. Kirsty was a member of the Labor Council Executive for three years. During her career Kirsty championed the cause of workers' rights to bargain collectively. She worked tirelessly on a range of issues, but her legacy was to work with unionists to remove discrimination in the workplace.

International Guests

During the AGM week, Labor Council also played host to visitors from Japan and Hong Kong. The biannual visit from Rengo Tokyo - the peak body representing 900,000 Tokyo workers - saw the delegation of Tabaru Hideo, Hara Hideo, Saotome Yuichi and Yoshino Tomoko renew fraternal ties.

Chan Wai-Keung from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions also visited Sydney. His address to Labor Council is reproduced in this week's Trades Hall.

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Issue 84 contents

Interview: Life After Wartime
After ten years representing the interests of the labour movement in Parliament, Jeff Shaw is back at the bar. And loving it.

Legal: Why the Freeloaders Should Pay
Michael Costa explains why service fees are not only fair - they are economically rational.

Organising: Young Activists Bask in Union Summer
Sydney students have spent three weeks of their summer holidays experiencing on-the-ground work with unions.

Unions: Things Are Looking Up On The Dock
After six years as a call centre worker, Marios Ellas has joined the union movement. Here's his first impressions.

History: Trades Hall ï¿½ The Royal Connection
Republic, who needs it when we have the Trades Hall decreed by Royal Imprimatur? So tug your forelock as work commences to restore the building.

International: Greetings from Hong Kong
Chan Wai-Keung from the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions outlined the challenges facing Hong Kong workers.

Politics: One Nation - The Old Labor Link
The resurgence in One Nation in the WA election has the pundits again reaching for the tea-leaves. But are they pouring from the wrong pot?

Review: Elect the Ambassador
Labor frontbencher Duncan Kerr unveils his vision for a new international democracy.

Satire: Man Buys Big Issue for the Articles
A Melbourne businessman claims his recent purchase of the "Big Issue" was due to his interest in the magazine's editorial content.

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