Gerry Ryan – A passionate trade unionist and an inspirational friend

September 7 2016

A plaque has been unveiled at Croydon Town Hall in memory of former CWU NEC member Gerry Ryan, who died in January 2015, aged 57, after a six-year battle with cancer. Gerry, a telecoms engineer, was an inspirational trade union organiser. He played a huge role in the CWU’s success in achieving the membership numbers and the trade union structure that ultimately persuaded BT to agree to a recognition agreement covering the wholly-owned subsidiary, BT Facilities Services. Here, one of those who was there, CWU PEC member Alan Tate, pays tribute to his close friend and fellow trade unionist of more than 30 years.

Gerry Ryan was a family man and passionate trade unionist who got involved in politics to try and improve life for his fellow residents.

I first met Gerry after attending a Labour Party event in 1983 at Ruskin House in Croydon. After learning we were both members of the Post Office Engineering Union (POEU), we became firm friends and would regularly campaign together, rising through the political ranks locally as a committed team, proudly representing the POEU, then NCU, and finally the CWU. Former general secretary Alan Johnson would often ask if we were joined at the hip, given you would rarely see one without the other! The only difference between us was that Gerry was a life-long Crystal Palace fan, a club that held usually higher status than my beloved Millwall, a point which he never capitalised upon in all those years that followed. If there was one recollection of Gerry that will always make me smile it is his now infamous red teeth grin’, knowing full well that he had drunk too much wine.

Elected to Croydon Council in 1998, Gerry was a powerful champion for Selhurst Ward, where he played an active role in the community. An executive member of the Labour Party Irish Society, Gerry also contested the Parliamentary seat of Croydon Central for Labour in 2010, missing out by just under 3,000 votes.

Gerry was an outstanding servant of the labour and trade union movement and I can honestly say it was an honour and a pleasure to have known and worked alongside him. I can only hope that I can continue the positive attitude he displayed towards life and how precious it was to him.

*The CWU has set up an award in Gerry Ryan’s name, which will be presented annually to the person considered to be the union’s best recruiter and negotiator.