Niall McCarroll steps down as chair of Derry Trades Union Council

“It is with mixed emotions, I announce that I am stepping down as Chairperson of Derry Trades Union Council and indeed from my other elected positions across the trade union movement.

“Due to family commitments, I can no longer give the necessary and expected time to fulfil these positions.

“I now need to prioritise family responsibilities which in turn have left me with limited time to maintain, develop and strengthen my allegiance to those of us on the left of the organised labour movement,” he said, in a lengthy statement.

Mr. McCarroll, who has served as chair for the last five years said he wished to thank everyone with whom he has have worked with positively over the years.

He was, he said, ‘particularly grateful for the friendships made and times spent challenging authority – campaigning to try and bring some balance to the whole thing’.

“Through my involvement in Derry Trades Union Council and Unison I have been really fortunate to have met some truly wonderful people. I will always look back and reflect on my time involved with the trade union movement with immense pride and be forever grateful for the comradeship, experiences and opportunities I have shared with so many people.

“Anything that we ever devoted our time to - was always for the benefit of local people and local public services.

“Through our message and actions we worked hard to enrich the lives of working class people and I think in some ways we achieved that and enjoyed successes,” he declared.

The veteran activist said ‘socialists across the trade union movement continued to be one of the strongest defences against injustice, social deprivation and political failure’.

He referred to a range of campaigns in defence of public services and for better pay and conditions across the district led by DTUC.

“I look back on my time involved reflecting on many things but some of my best memories and experiences and indeed my natural enthusiasm has always come from representing and supporting the ordinary worker in their place of work,” said Mr. McCarroll. “To all those workers who I have met, worked with and supported I will be forever indebted. I have been truly privileged to have shared a moment in time with you all.

“To all those employers who continue to undervalue their workers and who we battled against together - may the trade union representative forever be your shadow.”

The outgoing chair said he ‘remembered attending trades council meetings with an average of six or seven delegates in attendance – Derry Trades union Council has currently 55 delegates’.

“We must preserve what we have, always be outspoken and remain radical in everything that we do,” he declared.

On signing off, he said: “I will miss it all and being involved. It’s time to plant a little garden and eat a lot of peaches. In solidarity.”

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