Key union job

Press, 23 May 1977, Page 6

Key union job

There are only two days i left for budding unionists to i aoply for a key position in the J trade-union movement, that | of secretary' of the Canter- ' bury Storemen and Packers' ! Union. It is the sort of job which ! does not become vacant very ) often. The previous secretary, i [ Mr C. W. Keenan, held the i post for 10 years, until he' retired because of ill health on April 12. f ( There have been five apoli-P cations for the post, after:: advertisements in the four 1 main centres in the last two weeks. It is a worth-while job,' l according to Mr Keenan. “I enjoyed every minute of ’ it.’* he said yes’erdav. “Tf a chap is union-minded, it’s ai’ job he can make what he wants to make of it.” The president of the union (Mr J. Conwav Jack) does not ’> rule out a woman candidate for the position. He says that j the union seeks _ omeone with < the necessary qualifications, I’ 1

and is prepared to pay them in line with their qualifications. “We are looking for some-: one with an administrative 'flair, the ability to organise, iand someone who is articulate at the membership level 'and in Government and employer circles,” Mr Jack said. ‘ One of the first duties of 1 the new secretary may be to I help find a new executive, as I all except one of the present] members are commercial travellers, who want to form 'their own union. A ballot to decide on whe- ] ther members want a rule! change to permit this will be] held soon. An earlier ballot was ruled invalid. Mr Jack said that the sec- [ .retary would also be faced with the task of building up] the membership of the union, | to offset the loss of the com-[ mercial travellers if they' formed their own union. The secretary will be expected to be familiar with conciliation proceedings and Ithe compiling of jwards.