Rodney Bickerstaffe “was a fighter for social justice, whether it was fighting for the rights of the Travelling Community, the low paid or pensioners in Britain, or assisting trade unions fighting apartheid in South Africa (he became a lifelong friend of Nelson Mandela)” (UNISON obituary)
That comradeship was exemplified when that Nelson Mandela recorded a video tribute that was played at Rodney Bickerstaffe’s retirement party.
Rivonia trialist Denis Goldberg, in A Life for Freedom: The Mission to End Racial Injustice in South Africa, wrote: UNISON trade union… gave us (Community HEART) enormous support. Its general secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe let it be known that his publicity people could help us. They designed our logo, printed flyers and letterheads, and placed articles in their various journals, which reached the union’s 1.3 million members.
More to follow…
