Tribute to former general secretary Jack Jones
24th April 2009
Tomorrow (Saturday) rally-goers celebrating the 175th
anniversary of the great London demonstrations, which brought the
Tolpuddle Martyrs back from Australia, will stop to pay tribute to
former T&G leader Jack Jones by holding a one minute
silence.
Chris Kaufman, Unite national secretary for rural, agricultural
and allied workers, said: “For those of later generations who never
knew of Jack Jones, he was the T&G's Nelson Mandela. Honest,
courageous and inspirational. He was a towering figure as a union
leader who never lost touch with his roots.
“From his early days in Liverpool, he felt great pride to be
awarded the TUC Tolpuddle Centenary Award for recruitment and
organisation in the Thirties, his action in the Spanish Civil War,
his leadership of the union in Coventry and then as general
secretary in London. He always spoke up for vulnerable workers.
“Like the Tolpuddle Martyrs, his battles were for the
advancement of pay, conditions and for workers to be treated with
respect. The labour movement has lost a colossus figure, but we
pledge today that we will never lose the values of Jack and his
beloved wife Evelyn.”
ENDS
For further information contact Chris Kaufman on 07976
842307
NOTES:
Chris Kaufman will be speaking at 2.20pm in Edward Square,
Islington, London N1 (where Caledonian Road meets Copenhagen
Street)
Unite for Jobs
On 16th May 2009, Unite will hold a march through Birmingham.
This will be the centrepiece of the 'Unite for Jobs' campaign. The
March for Jobs will spotlight the need for urgent assistance to
defend jobs.
To see what the Unite for Jobs demands are or for information on
the march visit: http://action.unitetheunion.org
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