Obituaries

Vale Bill Anderson: Working Class Hero

The union its members and staff pass on our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family, friends and comrades of long time socialist, trade unionist and internationalist Bill Anderson. Comrade Anderson was active in the New Zealand trade union and progressive movements the whole of his working life, working in a number of occupations and holding trade union positions throughout.

Bill was both a seafarer and a waterside worker. He was on the Strike Committee of the 1951 strike in New Zealand and following that dispute was barred from ever being employed on the waterfront again. He was arrested in campaigns within the transport driving sector and held positions including secretary of the National Distribution Union which also covered transport workers. Bill was a committed socialist and communist, and in retirement held the position of leader of the Socialist Party of Aotearoa, the Maori name for New Zealand.

Bill is well known to Australian maritime workers for his long involvement in all areas of militant trade union and political activity, and has attended a number of industrial and political forums the MUA has organised.

He has always been forthright in his belief that the basis of life was class struggle. Bill immersed himself in that struggle without a break.

He passed away unexpectedly and leaves a long and important legacy of leadership and commitment to the working class movement.

Bill was a renowned Internationalist who never resiled from his commitment to workers and his belief in trade unionism as an effective tool in protection of the working class. He will be greatly missed by all of his many comrades in New Zealand and Australia and around the world. He will be remembered for his quiet dignity, dry humour and unassailable determination.

A full tribute to the life and work of Bill Anderson will feature next MWJ

Paddy Crumlin

National Secretary

MUA

Paddy Mallon: Great Shipmate

The life of a great shipmate ended on Saturday December 11, 2004 . Paddy Mallon (1929-2004) was born in the town of Raheny, Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. After first going to sea in Irish vessels and home-boats he fetched up in Australia in 1949 and in Melbourne skinned out of whatever vessel he was on at the time.

After working ashore for a couple of years in 1952 he joined the Seamen's Union of Australia and first met his best mate Paddy Holmes. In fact Paddy H invited Paddy M home to his household in Sydney for a meal. He subsequently stayed with the Holmes for 20 years until he met and married his beloved Billie. Note "never invite a hungry Irishman home for tea."

Paddy was very much a family man, the devoted husband of his darling Billie and a loving and caring father to his son Glen and daughter Kellie Ann. But he was also a loyal and staunch friend and shipmate whose whole life was epitomised by his irrepressible Irish humour. To give you an example, at the World Maritime Day function in 2004, which we both attended, I asked Paddy if he was still golfing. He replied "only in daylight hours". That was a pretty pertinent quip one must admit.

The funeral service at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium was on December 16, one day after the Old Timers' Bash at the Balmain Leagues Club. More than a 100 family, friends and shipmates attended.

Once again the thoughtfulness of Paddy, his wife and family came to the fore. Although he lived on the Central Coast the decision was taken not to hold the service at Palmdale, but in Sydney, for that was where most of his friends and ship-mates lived.

To his family, friends and fellow seafarers he was the essence of kindness, loyalty and decency and -- if sailors do have a special heaven, a world of starlit skies, fine ships, fresh breezes, good land falls and selected dog-watch companions -- then to the best of my knowledge and belief Paddy Mallon deserves to be right there at this moment.

Farewell, old mate, may you rest easy and sleep peacefully through the eternity of time. I'm sure there would have been a tot of rum and a nine iron waiting for you in Fiddlers' Green.

Erin Go Bragh.

Bill Langlois

SUA Life member No:15

Jack Ryan: Vigilant

We pay tribute to Jack Ryan, retired Vigilance Officer, Waterside Workers' Federation, Port Adelaide -- a person who served his union and its members so well.

Jack was born in South Australia on a railway siding on the East Western line. He met and married his wife Myrtle, a union that lasted 68 years, and moved to Port Pirie to work for the railways.

They then moved to Port Adelaide and Jack became a waterside worker and eventually hatchman of 74 Gang.

Bad luck followed when Jack was hit by a moving sling of cargo and knocked into the hold. He fell approximately 60 feet and suffered many broken bones. He was bedridden for six months.

Jack was elected vigilance officer in 1970 and held that position for approximately seven years. He retired on January 16, 1977.

Jack could be described as a militant, dedicated and totally committed union official. His attention to detail never flagged and his record keeping was exemplary.

Jack had a love of bike riding and was a specialist long distance rider and state champion. He continued to ride his bike well into his eighties.

He will be remembered by all veterans of the waterfront with great affection.

Jack's ashes were mingled with his wife Myrtle's and spread together in the garden nearby the home they shared and loved at West Lakes.

A suitable tribute was paid to Jack at the MUA Veteran's Xmas function in December.

Rex Munn

President

Veterans' Association

Port Adelaide

Phil O'Brien: Staunch Unionist

Phil O'Brien, a good friend and fellow unionist since I met him in 1955, has died.

Following six years (1939-45) in the AIF during World War II serving in the Middle East, Greece, Crete, Turkey and New Guinea, Phil joined the Brisbane Branch of the Waterside Workers' Federation as a coal worker in 1948. He was later admitted to the general roster.

Phil soon became involved in the union movement. During the 1950's, he become a job delegate and in 1958 was elected to the branch executive as a rank and file committee member. He was re-elected each year to 1974. Phil did not contest the 1975 elections as he decided to take voluntary redundancy in 1976.

For several years Phil was a delegate to the Queensland Trades and Labor Council and attended many Queensland union congresses.

At branch elections he was always part of the unity ticket standing alongside members of the Labor Party and Communist Party as well as non party members. Phil developed a great hope "A world without war" (having experienced WWII). He became involved in the peace movement opposing the Korean War and was arrested for partaking in anti-Vietnam War demonstrations in 1978.

The Brisbane Branch set up a peace committee with Phil as Secretary. He attended a National Peace Conference held in Melbourne in 1959, and in 1962 the World Peace Congress held in Moscow.

In 1970 Phil was nominated and made a World Peace Councillor. It was a tremendous honour. Then in 1973 the Queensland Peace Committee advised him that he had been selected to attend a council presidential meeting in Warsaw. It was there he met long time president of the World Peace Council Romash Chandra.