Double honour for CWUHA's Alex

CWU Humanitarian Aid national organiser Alex Pearson could have been forgiven for likening CWU Gold Badges to buses having received two of the union movement's highest accolades in the space of just a couple of hours.
But in fact the former Manchester South branch chair, famed for his negotiation skills on behalf of - and hard work for - the union's charity for children in need, was rendered almost speechless when he was awarded the Irish CWU's highest accolade just hours after being presented with the UK CWU's Gold Badge at a special presentation in Manchester on Wednesday.
While the UK award had originally been meant as a surprise the
'unexpected' element had been blown by an email blunder in which Alex received an invite to his own 'secret' presentation!
But no such communication error preceded the a second 'surprise'
presentation which took place half way in to the evening's celebration of the UK gold badge award.
Receiving the Irish CWU's Gold Badge from  national officer Jimmy
O'Connor and Dublin No 2 branch secretary Steve Crilly, Alex was momentarily almost lost for words - so touched was he at the gesture which stemmed from the strong links he has built with the Irish union over the years.
Earlier Alex (left in the photo) had heard CWU general secretary Billy Hayes commending him for the contribution he had made over 33 years of membership to the CWU and its predecessor unions.
"That's a long long time in terms of trade union activity," said
Billy..."and obviously included all the dark years of Tory Government when to be a trade unionist was seen to be akin to being an outlaw."
Billy spoke warmly of Alex's pivotal involvement with CWUHA - the CWU charity which has become a major part of his life following his early retirement from BT.
"CWUHA was one of the first amalgamated things that came about
following the creation of the CWU 11 years ago,  and it has done tremendous work," said Billy.
"In my view it is exactly what the TU movement is about - helping
people who are less able to help themselves."
Recalling how impressed and touched he had been at seeing the results
of the charity's work to relieve the plight of desperately disadvantaged
children in Moldova and Transnistria, Billy touched on the essential
humanity behind Alex's relaxed and easy-going manner.

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