A.L.P. Man Wins Top Watersiders’ Union Post

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 15

A.L.P. Man Wins Top Watersiders’ Union Post

(K Z. Press Association—Copyright)

MELBOURNE, Nov. 13. Mr Charles H. Fitzgibbon, of Newcastle, has won the general secretaryship of the Waterside Workers* Federation. A member of the Australian Labour Party, he wrested the secretaryship from the Communist Party for the first time tn more than 25 years. Mr Fitzgibbon defeated the Communist candidate, Mr T. Nelson, of Sydney, by about 2000 votes, in a ballot of 80,000 votes in 54 ports throughout Australia. It was a by-election caused by the death of the Communist secretary, Mr Jim Healy, who controlled the federation for 25 years. Mr Fitzgibbon, who is 39, has been a waterside worker since 1938, and an official of the Newcastle branch since 1953,

>. It was the biggest defeat the Communists have suffered since Mr L. Short smashed Communist control of the Ironworkers’ Union in 1952, but while the Communists have lost the secretaryship, the W.WF. is likely to remain under strong Communist influence. This will be at least until the general triennial elec- , tions are held in three years’ ' time. t Mr Fitzgibbon, although f the chief executive officer of I the federation, will have as 5 his assistants two top Com- » munists. They are the assist- . ant Federal secretary, Mr E. > Roach, and the industrial offlr cer. Mr N. Docker. The Federal president Is a . well-known militant and coni' fldant Of Mr Healy, Mr J. t Beltz. The last triennial elecs tions were held in June for all ports.