News

It is with a heavy heart that I bring you the sad news that Heribert Maier has passed away at the age of 75. Heribert suffered a cerebral haemorrhage on October 26th and never regained consciousness. He died on November 6th in Graz, Austria, the town of his birth.



Heribert was one of the outstanding international trade union leaders of his generation. After completing his academic studies, he joined the Austrian Trade Union Centre, the OGB, in 1955, leaving in 1958 to join the ICFTU in Brussels. He rose to the position of Assistant General Secretary of the ICFTU, leaving in 1973 to become General Secretary of FIET. He transformed FIET and led the International with great distinction until his departure in June 1989 to become Deputy Director General of the ILO until his retirement in 1996.



Heribert had a significant impact on the work of ILO. From 1977 to 1989, he was an active participant in the ILO Conference as delegate for Austria. In 1987, he was elected Vice President of the ILO Conference. He was elected to the ILO Governing Body in 1976. In 1982 he became the Workers’ Group Spokesperson to the Committee on Freedom of Association.



In 1996, he was recognized by the Austrian Government when he received the Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver with Star for his services to the nation.



On his retirement from the ILO until this year, he served together with Johnny Vanderveken and Bob Hawke on the Education International (EI) Committee of Experts on Membership.



He brought energy, originality and a strong intellect to his union work. A career spanning 40 years was wrapped in the rich personality of a man who enjoyed people and life.



He inspired many of today’s global union leaders. Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the ITUC; John Evans, General Secretary of TUAC; David Cockroft, General Secretary of ITF and myself, all had our lives changed by Heribert. He took each of us from the UK trade union movement to FIET in Geneva. He gave us our start in international trade union work and changed our lives in the process. He stood with us, taught us and was always interested in what we were doing. In his retirement, he was never intrusive yet was always there with wise advice and friendship.



When Heribert started his international trade union work, the world was a very different place. Europe was marked by cold war divisions and military regimes in Greece, Spain and Portugal. Africa was emerging from colonial rule. Latin America was dominated by dictatorship. And Asia was economically struggling.



Heribert transformed the work of FIET. He pioneered FIET’s work in Africa, Asia and Pacific and the Americas. Building on its European base, he globalised the work of FIET and made the International a force to be reckoned with.



He was proud of his work to help the economies in Africa and the solidarity he extended to unions the world over who were fighting repression from governments and companies alike.



He helped shape the struggle for union rights through his work on the Committee of Freedom of Association at the ILO; decisions that led to legal breakthroughs to bring the rights to organize and negotiate to millions of working people around the world. He was a brilliant and skilful advocate for all unions at the ILO.



Today, we negotiate global framework agreements with companies. Yesterday it was Heribert and his colleagues that fashioned the ILO Tripartite Declaration on Multinationals. We will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Declaration this year. This is the foundation upon which global agreements are built.



Heribert was taken from us suddenly. He leaves his wife Renée and daughter Christina.



The funeral will take place on Friday, November 9th in Graz, Austria. I will represent UNI at the funeral ceremony and will convey condolences to his family and friends from all of you.



Please send your condolence messages to me here at UNI Head Office.



We have lost a great friend and unique character. It was a privilege to work with him and to count him as one of my closest friends.





Philip J. Jennings

General Secretary