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30 Years since Trades Hall Bombing in Wellington
30 Years since Trades Hall Bombing in Wellington
March 27 marks the 30th anniversary of the Trades Hall bombing in Wellington. The bomb killed Ernie Abbort President of the Wellington Caretakers and Cleaners Union. No one has ever been charged with Ernie’s murder.
"The bombing of
the Hall was a direct attack on democracy in New Zealand
aimed to destabilising the union movement and the values it
promotes. It occurred in a climate promoted by the
Government of the day where unions and their members were
portrayed in negative terms and personal attacks on union
leaders was a normal affair. It is uncertain that any
lessons were learned regarding the danger of this kind of
unprincipled rhetoric and while the nature of attacks on
workers rights to organise may have changed, the underlying
theme of reducing rights for workers in New Zealand has
continued a pace."CTU president Helen Kelly said.
“Ernie was an ordinary man who believed that we all should have the right to a safe work place with decent pay and conditions. He paid the ultimate price for those beliefs.” Kelly said.
“We honour the thousands of everyday heroes who stand up for justice and equality. Ernie was one of these heroes and that’s why we’ll always remember him.
“Today we remember Ernie, and trade unionists all over the world, who have died fighting for the rights of others.”
ENDS
New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
Te Kauae Kaimahi
The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.
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