Syd Keepa new CTU Vice-President Maori

Council of Trade Unions media release
19 October 2010

The Council of Trade Unions (Te Kauae Kaimahi) has elected a new Vice-President Maori.

Peter Conway, CTU Secretary, said today that “we warmly welcome Syd Keepa as a CTU Officer, joining Helen Kelly, Richard Wagstaff and me. We have all worked closely with Syd as one of the Conveners of Te Runanga o Nga Kaimahi Maori o Aotearoa.”

Syd Keepa replaces Sharon Clair who has recently resigned as Vice-President Maori.

Peter Conway said that Syd Keepa has tribal affiliations with Ngati Awa, Ngati Maru, and Ngai Tuhoe and a long history of active involvement in the union movement.

Syd Keepa has worked in forestry, and the pulp and paper sector and also as a truck driver. He has been a member of the Timber Workers Union, Northern Drivers Union, Pulp and Paper Workers Union and the Wood Industries Union. He was a delegate with the Northern Drivers Union (1979) and the Pulp & Paper Workers Union (1982) and went on to become Branch President of the Pulp & Paper Workers Union. When the Timber Workers Union and the Pulp & Paper Workers Union amalgamated it became the Wood Industries Union. Syd was Auckland Branch President for the Wood Industries Union, then National President of the Wood Industries Union.

He commenced working with the National Distribution Union in 1999 as Apiha Maori and Wood Sector Organiser in Auckland.

ENDS

For further information contact:

Syd Keepa on 021 776 025

Peter Conway on 04 8023816 or 0274 939 748