United Voice (UV) has thanked outgoing secretary David O’Byrne for his service as national secretary. He has resigned to spend more time with his young family in Hobart, said a mid-May UV press release.
National president Jo Schofield thanked O’Byrne for his work.
“Under David’s leadership the union has grown stronger, opened a new national discussion on corporate tax avoidance and continued to campaign for a quality early childhood education and care sector,” she noted.
“David has given 20 years of his life to United Voice and most recently delivered the senior strategic leadership the Union has needed in what is a challenging time for the union movement.
“We are stronger for his leadership and on behalf of our members I thank him for his personal contribution, passion and drive for a fairer society.”
O’Byrne thanked the members of the union for the honour to serve as their national secretary.
“The commitment of our members to build a better society based on fair, secure jobs has energised me every day,” enthused O’Byrne.
“This job deserves complete commitment – I believe the bar should be high: justice demands it and I relish the fight. But I can no longer be the national secretary our members and union require and also the husband and father my family deserve.
“My passion for social justice based on a strong labour movement will always remain. But it is time for me to step away from the day to day fight for worker rights and day to day politics.”
O’Byrne was a UV organiser (then the LHMU) from 1994 to 2001; secretary of the Tasmanian Branch from 2001 to 2010; Minister in the Tasmanian Labor Government from 2010 to 2014; and began as acting secretary of United Voice in May 2014.
UV will fill this vacancy in accordance with its rules under the Fair Work Act.