Workers' rights campaigner Neil Kearney dies at 59

19 November 2009 | Source: just-style.com

Neil Kearney, general secretary of the International Textile, Garment, and Leather Workers' Federation (ITGLWF) and a passionate defender of workers' rights, died of a heart attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh, early today (19 November).

Neil, who was 59, was described by his colleagues as equally at home negotiating at the highest level or talking with workers on the factory floor.

"In his 21 years at the head of the ITGLWF, Neil brought tireless energy and commitment to his work," said the Federation's president Manfred Schallmeyer.

"Despite the pressures he faced and the scope of the problems he tackled, his sense of humour was never far away. He was an inspiration to all who knew him."

Schallmeyer continued: "With Neil's death we lose an excellent general secretary, a loyal colleague and a good friend."

Since his election as ITGLWF general secretary in 1988, Kearney visited more than 140 different countries worldwide campaigning on behalf of textile and garment workers.

During the same period, membership grew from 5.3m to 9m workers in 245 affiliated unions in 130 countries.

In 1997 he was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board of the Council on Economic Activities Accreditation Agency in New York in 1997. In 1998 he was appointed as a member of the United Kingdom's Ethical Trading Initiative Board of Directors.

In December 1998, Kearney received the "Il Natale, La Notta della Vita" international award for his work on the elimination of child labour worldwide.

And in 1999 he received the "1999 Work and Environment Award" of the Associazione Ambiente e Lavoro for his efforts to improve working conditions, especially in developing countries.

Neil is survived by his wife and two daughters.