{"id":21422,"date":"2020-05-14T13:32:15","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T12:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=21422"},"modified":"2020-05-14T16:48:10","modified_gmt":"2020-05-14T15:48:10","slug":"pick-up-and-carry-forward-seans-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=21422","title":{"rendered":"\u00e2\u20ac\u0098Pick up and carry forward Sean\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work\u00e2\u20ac\u2122"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

UNITElive<\/em> sadly has to report that Unite disability rights campaigner, rep and executive council (EC) member, Sean McGovern, passed away on May 6.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bSean represented disabled workers on our EC \u00e2\u20ac\u201c indeed, no-one else has ever done so in Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s history,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 commented a saddened Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary.<\/p>\n

Len described him as \u00e2\u20ac\u015ba tireless champion for disabled people, and he ensured that their particular interests were never overlooked in any of our debates.\u00c2\u00a0 He was always well-briefed, and everyone from government ministers down knew from experience how persistent he could be in championing the rights of disabled workers.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Sean also represented Unite on the General Council of the TUC, and chaired the TUC\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s disability committee.\u00c2\u00a0 He was formerly chair of Unite\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s own National Disabled Members Committee, was active in his region, London and Eastern, and was Disability Officer for the London Labour Party.\u00c2\u00a0 He poured all his energies into building our union and the movement, and we will cherish the memories of his comradeship and commitment.<\/p>\n

Indeed Sean was a very well-known figure in the Labour and trade union movements. A frequent speaker at Labour, TUC, Unite conferences, as well as contributing at other allied campaigning events, Sean was a respected speaker and champion of people with disabilities.<\/p>\n

Show-stealer\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Wearing his signature pork pie hat he often stole the show, campaigning for accessible transport and keeping ticket halls open. Most notably he was a vociferous and dedicated opponent of the hugely unjust Universal Credit system and the terrible and life-threatening effects it had on disabled people.<\/p>\n

Sean made an indelible impression on everyone he met. \u00e2\u20ac\u015bSean was a firm friend, stalwart comrade and dedicated campaigner, standing up for disabled workers, trade union struggles and socialist principles,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said John McDonnell MP on hearing the news,<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bIt\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a tragic loss to our movement, but I was so proud to have known Sean. I send my deepest sympathy to his family and friends,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 he added.<\/p>\n

Unite national equalities and disabilities officer, Harish Patel, also paid tribute.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bI have known Sean for over many years and worked together on disability issues closely with him,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Harish.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHe was the glue which held the National Disabled Members Committee together and focused in the cause for disabled members.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

Harish also pointed out that, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bSean always ensured that issues and concerns on disability featured in every aspect of the trade union and labour movement. The best example of his commitment features on his determination to ensure the TUC Disabled Workers Conference moved from Congress House to a more disability friendly venue \u00e2\u20ac\u201c which was achieved, and indeed making sure that the commitment to scrap Universal Credit became Unite policy and featured in Labour Party manifesto.<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bHe has left a big vacuum in our National Committee which will take a big effort to fill.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe will mark Sean\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s passing properly when it is possible to do so,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Len McCluskey, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bbut the greatest memorial to his life and work must be to pick up and carry forward the cause of the rights of disabled workers which he championed to the last.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n

WATCH: Sean speaking<\/a> on accessible transport for all at the TUC in 2016<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

By Amanda Campbell @amanda_unite<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00e2\u20ac\u015bWe will mark Sean\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s passing properly when it is possible to do so,\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 said Len McCluskey, \u00e2\u20ac\u015bbut the greatest memorial to his life and work must be to pick up and carry forward the cause of the rights of disabled workers which he championed to the last.\u00e2\u20ac\u0165<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9853,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[22],"tags":[172,379,462],"wps_subtitle":"Unite salutes life\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work of \u00e2\u20ac\u0098tireless champion\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 and disabilities campaigner, Sean McGovern","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21422"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21422"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21424,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21422\/revisions\/21424"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9853"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}