Union leader retires

Press, 5 December 1979, Page 14

Union leader retires

The Canterbury, Nelson, and Marlborough Footwear Workers’ Union has elected a new secretary to replace the retiring secretary, Mr G. W. A. Cummings. He is Mr Ray (Toby) Jordan, who has worked at the Marathon rubber footwear factory at Woolston for about 20 years and has been active as a union delegate and assessor for about 15 years. Mr Jordan was nominated ar.J elected unopposed. He is Mr Cummings’s son-in-law. Mr Cummings is retiring after six years as union secretary, but will retain his position as national secretary of the Footwear Workers’ Association and president of the Canterbury union. Mr Cummings was elected secretary of the Canterbury

union when the previous secretary, Mr Gilbert Robinson, retired after 29 years. Before becoming secretary Mr Cummings was employed as a footwear worker at Suckling Industries. He started work in the trade in 1929, but left to spend 17| years in the Royal Ne~w Zealand Air Force and for 2J years was a watersider. He was awarded the Waterfront Union’s “Stood loyal right through” ticket for staying out during the 1951 waterfront dispute, when he was a waterfront worker at Lyttelton. Mr Cummings is a member of the Trades Certification Board, the national and Christchurch apprenticeship committees, and the Industry Training Board.