Clyde Cameron - a great AWU man

A long-serving Federal Labor MP and AWU official, Clyde Cameron, has died aged 95. Mr Cameron played an important role in the history of the Australian Workers' Union.

Clyde Cameron

The son of a Scottish shearer he was an icon of the union movement and the Labor Party.

" He became active in our union at an early age and will be remembered as a great shearer, a top delegate, a great union organiser, AWU State President, AWU South Australia Secretary and later a Federal Vice-President," Paul Howes, AWU National Secretary said.

" Clyde was a real leader involved in some of the legendary industrial disputes of the 1950s including the historic shearing blues of the era.

" He created a fine tradition in the AWU of nurturing people of talent, to serve both the industrial and political wings of the labour movement - possibly one of the best examples was Mick Young.

" He always strove to put the interests of working families first and to ensure that the political wing of our movement maintained its loyalty to working people.

" Clyde Cameron would never walk away from a blue. He was always prepared to stand by his principles. He was a man of great integrity; an AWU man. A great Australian," AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, said.

" The AWU has sent its condolences to his family."

A State Funeral will be held later this week to honour the memory of Clyde Cameron.