Personality Profiles: Ian Wakefield

Ian Wakefield is secretary of the Tasmanian Branch

As a member of the AWU for over 27 years, Ian has seen the challenges that confront workers in their daily lives. Having previously worked in a broad range of industries from production worker at Alcoa in WA, psychiatric nurse and underground miner in Rosebery, Ian knows the issues that are important to AWU members and their families - and the role that is expected of the AWU in Tasmania.

As an organiser from 1993 and now as Branch Secretary since 2001, Ian has seen the impact of significant change in the workplace and the new demands workers face in their employment from competition policy, globalisation and the never ending push for corporate profit.

He is committed to ensuring that members have secure and quality employment. Long hours, low pay and unreliable work can't be tolerated. He wants to ensure that Tasmanian workers get a fair go in the workplace and can balance their jobs with their family and community.

Ian believes improved communication between the Union and its members can play a pivotal role in achieving that outcome. For Ian the new Tasmanian website is about making technology work for AWU members, whose work patterns are no longer restricted to "office hours". In Tasmania members have never had a better opportunity to follow the unions activities, seek assistance, or gain information about their rights

Ian can be contacted through the Tasmanian Branch.