Friday 14 October 2016
The Labour Party mourns Helen Kelly
The Labour family is today in mourning for Helen Kelly.
“After a long illness, borne with irrepressible fortitude and humour, and a determination that her final months should
make a difference for others, she leaves her much-loved family, and a multitude of friends and colleagues, deeply
saddened by her loss, and uplifted by her memory, said Nigel Haworth, Labour Party President.
“Helen was profoundly involved in all things Labour. Her trade union work, nationally and internationally, was imbued
with her strong social democratic values. For her, the Labour Party was a party for working people who by right should
have a strong political voice.
“Trade unionism and Labour politics were inextricably intertwined in her thinking, combined in a fusion of workplace and
political voice. She contributed her own strong unflinching voice in both. She was as determined in her work in the
Labour Party to further worker rights and conditions as she was in her trade union life.
“Helen had a wonderful capacity to see the big picture in the day-to-day life of people. This gave her an extraordinary
ability to work with people and understand how their struggles translated into wider political campaigns and policy.
Nowhere is this more obvious that in her health and safety work around, for example, Pike River and the forestry sector.
It was also true in her final days as she campaigned on the medicinal cannabis issue. It was this quality that marked
her commitment to better employment legislation, based on respect for working people and their families.
“The Labour Party lost today a member who contributed at every level, from the practical tasks of organising local
pamphlet deliveries to the determination of major policy. It is no secret that Helen may well have entered parliament
one day, and many is the commentator who saw in her a future leader of the Parliamentary Party. Equally, others hoped to
see her take up senior leadership roles in the international trade union movement, or in the International Labour
Organisation. Leaving her CTU role was to be the start of another chapter in the life’s work for working people. This is
not to be, and we lament the arbitrary extinguishing of such potential for good.
“The Labour Party offers its sincere condolences to Steve and Dylan, and to Cath, and hopes that the recognition by so
many of all that she has achieved offers support and comfort. All who knew here will mourn with her family today. All
who knew her will go forward in trade union and political life the better for her friendship and commitment, and the
clearer in our dedication to a decent life for all," said Nigel Haworth.
ENDS