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The head of the Council of Trade Unions runanga says Maori unionists have lost a major supporter with the retirement of CTU president Helen Kelly, who has terminal cancer.
Syd Keepa says Ms Kelly backed his drive to build closer links between the union movement and te iwi Maori.
That’s been valuable in battles to improve safety and conditions in sectors with a high Maori workforce, such as forestry and freezing works.
"She was very very supportive of all the mahi that CTU Runanga have done over the 8 years that she's been the president of the CTU. First of all it's why she's leaving because of what she's got and that's pretty sad and the fact that we are losing a wahine toa of the trade union movement," Mr Keepa says.
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