Skip to main content

Dr Harold Lewis

ニュース

Dr Harold Lewis, General Secretary of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) from 1977 to 1993 has died in hospital. Our thoughts are with his wife Andrea.

Harold was a deeply committed trade unionist and labour supporter, becoming a branch chairman of the Clerical and Administrative Workers’ Union (now the GMB) at the age of 21. He had a long history within the ITF, starting in 1955 as an editor and translator, and then acting as personal assistant for three previous general secretaries: Omer Becu, Pieter de Vries and Hans Imhof. He was Assistant General Secretary of the ITF from 1967-1977.

“Key trade union leaders all over the world knew and respected Harold very much,” said David Cockroft, his successor, General Secretary of the ITF from 1993 to 2014. “Harold was determined to see all ITF affiliates treated the same, wherever they came from. The people who owe the greatest debt to the work he did throughout his ITF career are the rank-and-file transport workers who were always his first priority.”

Harold steered the ITF and its affiliate unions through a stormy period as the trade union movement saw its influence eroded by government repression in major economies, and the rise of globalisation and the collapse of the Soviet Union both made protecting worker rights ever tougher.

“Harold built ITF union solidarity beyond Europe and the US,” said Paddy Crumlin, President of the ITF, “and the strength of the ITF’s regional structures and influence globally owe an immense debt to him.”

“He was passionate in the fight against apartheid in South Africa and perhaps his greatest legacy will be his role in coordinating dockworker unions, including my union the Maritime Union of Australia, as they led the way in enforcing sanctions by refusing to unload South African ships.”

“Harold’s progressiveness and political and industrial maturity, together with his friendship with Jim Hunter and Tas Bull forged campaigning and organising initiatives at the ITF that continue to protect and advance the rights and lives of transport workers around the world today. His commitment to the ITF was maintained in his retirement including continuing to serve as a trustee to the ITF pension fund,” said Crumlin.

The ITF News of April 1993 noted: “It was absolutely typical of Harold, that once having declared his intention of retire at 60, that is exactly what he did and no amount of persuasion could change his mind.” At his retirement in 1993, Enzo Friso, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trades Unions (ICFTU, now part of the ITUC) said:

“Harold is a very unusual person in the trade union movement – he only speaks when he has something to say.”

Following his retirement, Harold maintained his interest in the ITF and particularly in its traditions and history. Despite coming from a working-class background and having no first degree, he earned his PhD from Warwick University in 2003 for work documenting the history of the ITF.

“Even after his retirement, Harold worked in the interest of transport workers. His documentation of the ITF’s history and the struggles of transport workers and their unions will be an important reference for generations in our movement,” said current ITF General Secretary Stephen Cotton.

“There is no doubt that Harold had an enormous influence on the development of the ITF during his tenure,” said Cotton. “He was famous for cycling to work in all weathers and that kind of fortitude and determination characterised his period at the ITF and has left its legacy ever since.”

現場の声

ニュース

ミレイ政権(アルゼンチン)の反労組の法律に抗議し、交通運輸労組がスト

 ITF は本日ストを決行するアルゼンチンの交通運輸労働者に連帯を送る。  アルゼンチンの交通運輸労組は、ハビエル・ミレイ大統領の労働者に対する攻撃(緊縮財政、スト権に対する攻撃、反労組の政策等)に抗議している。  ミレイ政権は、投資家に減税を施し、大企業に迎合する一方、国営のアルゼンチン航空を民営化して、補助金を撤廃しようとしている。  これまで
ニュース

我々の運動を発展・活性化させる青年労働者

ITFの青年登録人員は2018年の前回大会時の115万人から178万人へ 55%増加した。 これは、ITF加盟組織が青年を優先させ、より幅広く利益代表できる力強いグローバル組織の構築を目指した結果である。 本日、マラケシュで開催されたITF青年総会に、 71カ国、 142組合から 190人を超える青年労働者が参加した。参加者は組織拡大を祝うとともに、「安定した仕事と安全な職場は、もはや希望ではなく
ニュース

ディーセントワークのための組織化は持続可能な観光の鍵

2024 年 ITF 世界大会期間中に開催された観光サービス部会総会には、世界各地から組合のリーダーや業界の専門家、諸組織の代表者が結集し、観光部門で働く労働者が直面する課題について議論した。 スティーブ・コットン ITF 書記長は総会の開会にあたり、前回の大会以降、観光部会が発展してきたことを力説し、今後の野心的な目標を掲げた。 「前回の大会からは長い道のりだった