Malcolm was a fellow Branch Secretary who was a friend and supporter to those he represented. I knew Malcolm from Regional events, and national conferences. In fact I got to know him better at the Bournemouth conference when the European cup was on and Greece (my country of origin) was doing quite well in the games. He did not believe that we could win the Euro cup so we had a few friendly arguments about that which was followed by Greece winning the championship and Malcolm having to buy me a few drinks!
He was a lovely guy and a true trade unionist. I often used to have a go stating that as a Croydon charge payer ( I live in Croydon) he was costing me too much and would often 'instruct' him to go back to work as every hour he spend at regional Council was costing me. It was a joke that went on for ever. But we also had discussions and compared notes on the Branch Secretary front and both agreed that it was a tough job.
I don't want to say that I will miss Malcolm and prefer to say that I will always remember the brave, genuine, kind man who cared more for others than himself. May he rest in peace.
Nick Venedi
Branch Secretary
Lambeth Unison
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Rahul Patel
Dear Jayne and Croydon UNISON,
I was deeply shocked and upset to hear the news of Malcolm's death.
I want to especially pass my condolences to Jane, Malcolm's family and friends.
I got to know Malcolm when he became branch secretary of Croydon UNISON. I did not get to know much of his other life except as a fellow Chelsea supporter.
For me, Malcolm was one of the best branch secretaries in London UNISON. It would be a cliché to say that he fought tirelessly for his trade union members and justice but this was seriously true.
He was a extremely approachable, sympathetic, compassionate, warm and tender person and always humorous in difficult and dire circumstances.
Malcolm was a socialist and he stuck to his socialist principals not only in talk but also in deed.
Malcolm and I most recently worked together in the campaign to thwart the BNP establishing in Croydon and he came up trumps in contacting people when we at late notice had to mobilise against the BNP demonstration.
Malcolm was a committed anti-racist and over the years when I got to know him, as a fellow branch secretary, we discussed at length how to effectively to challenge racism and also sort the best ways to put this into action.
I will miss Malcolm terribly. With the rest of the trade union and socialist movement in Croydon I wish to salute Malcolm as one of the best.
Rahul Patel
ex-Branch Secretary Westminster UNISON
Lambeth Socialist Workers Party
I was deeply shocked and upset to hear the news of Malcolm's death.
I want to especially pass my condolences to Jane, Malcolm's family and friends.
I got to know Malcolm when he became branch secretary of Croydon UNISON. I did not get to know much of his other life except as a fellow Chelsea supporter.
For me, Malcolm was one of the best branch secretaries in London UNISON. It would be a cliché to say that he fought tirelessly for his trade union members and justice but this was seriously true.
He was a extremely approachable, sympathetic, compassionate, warm and tender person and always humorous in difficult and dire circumstances.
Malcolm was a socialist and he stuck to his socialist principals not only in talk but also in deed.
Malcolm and I most recently worked together in the campaign to thwart the BNP establishing in Croydon and he came up trumps in contacting people when we at late notice had to mobilise against the BNP demonstration.
Malcolm was a committed anti-racist and over the years when I got to know him, as a fellow branch secretary, we discussed at length how to effectively to challenge racism and also sort the best ways to put this into action.
I will miss Malcolm terribly. With the rest of the trade union and socialist movement in Croydon I wish to salute Malcolm as one of the best.
Rahul Patel
ex-Branch Secretary Westminster UNISON
Lambeth Socialist Workers Party
Helen Davies
I'm still p***ed off that Malcolm is not with us anymore. Last Friday I kept thinking I saw him out of the corner of my eye but when I looked properly it was always someone else. I guess it indicates just how normal it is to have Malcolm with us at UNISON gatherings. I can't say I was a close friend but Malcolm was just fundamentally important. It was so easy to talk to him and easier still to respect and like him. He was a lovely guy. He was a great example of how trade unionists can work positively together. It is particularly his positivity I'll miss. I am missing him.
Helen.
Helen.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Three things about Malcolm
I have been wanting to say more about Malcolm but somehow have been failing to find the words over the past few days.
There are three things I want to say now.
The first thing I want to say is something about the ways in which I didn’t know Malcolm – or rather about aspects of his social life which I wasn’t part of – his local, Chelsea and (until the last year) the festivals. I really admired the way in which Malcolm was so utterly committed to his trade unionism and yet also managed to live life beyond that activism. It’s all too easy for those of us who are really involved in the Union to get so sucked into trade union, and associated political, activity that we can do nothing else. Malcolm had – and has – a lesson for a number of us in this regard. Malcolm managed to do the activism while being a regular bloke – and a brilliant bloke.
Of course, however, Malcolm was also one of the very best trade unionists I have ever met, which leads me to the second thing I want to say. Malcolm had as passionate a commitment to the cause of our movement as anyone else I have met on the left and matched this to an intellectual (and emotional) understanding which made him an excellent advocate for democracy and the rights of trade union members – and a dangerous adversary for those who didn’t share his beliefs. Malcolm was, for example, one of an all too small number who understood both why it is important to defend Conference democracy and how to fight to do this. That’s why he was so valuable to our members whether on a Standing Orders Committee or representing local government members on the Regional Committee. Amongst those of us who know why these things matter – and how hard this work can be if done properly – Malcolm Campbell is legend. He was one of the very few comrades who, when he disagreed with me, was generally right!
The third thing I want to say is that Malcolm Campbell was my friend and a comrade in the best and truest sense. He wasn’t just there to provide political support, though he would do that whenever necessary. He also looked out for those of us he worked with, cared for us and supported us personally as well as politically. Malcolm comforted and supported me when I was low – and reassured me when I needed that too. Malcolm was someone I knew I could trust and rely upon. I hope and believe that he had the wisdom and insight to know how much that meant to me. And that I loved him.
There are three things I want to say now.
The first thing I want to say is something about the ways in which I didn’t know Malcolm – or rather about aspects of his social life which I wasn’t part of – his local, Chelsea and (until the last year) the festivals. I really admired the way in which Malcolm was so utterly committed to his trade unionism and yet also managed to live life beyond that activism. It’s all too easy for those of us who are really involved in the Union to get so sucked into trade union, and associated political, activity that we can do nothing else. Malcolm had – and has – a lesson for a number of us in this regard. Malcolm managed to do the activism while being a regular bloke – and a brilliant bloke.
Of course, however, Malcolm was also one of the very best trade unionists I have ever met, which leads me to the second thing I want to say. Malcolm had as passionate a commitment to the cause of our movement as anyone else I have met on the left and matched this to an intellectual (and emotional) understanding which made him an excellent advocate for democracy and the rights of trade union members – and a dangerous adversary for those who didn’t share his beliefs. Malcolm was, for example, one of an all too small number who understood both why it is important to defend Conference democracy and how to fight to do this. That’s why he was so valuable to our members whether on a Standing Orders Committee or representing local government members on the Regional Committee. Amongst those of us who know why these things matter – and how hard this work can be if done properly – Malcolm Campbell is legend. He was one of the very few comrades who, when he disagreed with me, was generally right!
The third thing I want to say is that Malcolm Campbell was my friend and a comrade in the best and truest sense. He wasn’t just there to provide political support, though he would do that whenever necessary. He also looked out for those of us he worked with, cared for us and supported us personally as well as politically. Malcolm comforted and supported me when I was low – and reassured me when I needed that too. Malcolm was someone I knew I could trust and rely upon. I hope and believe that he had the wisdom and insight to know how much that meant to me. And that I loved him.
George Binette
I came to know Malcolm largely through our shared involvement in UNISON's United Left in London and later through the shared misery of the union's national conferences.For me he embodied a profound decency - generous to a fault to his foes and loyal - albeit constructively critical - to his friends. His trade union militancy was tempered, like the best steel, rarely yielding to anger yet persistent and ultimately often effective. I think in his quiet, self-effacing way Malcolm left a fine legacy for this battered movement of ours, not least in Croydon and London as a whole. Like many others, I shall miss him personally over the weeks and months ahead, not least during conference lunch-times when we managed to somehow avoid a worthy fringe meeting and sneak off for an all to hurried pint (or two) given him the chance to impart something of his knowledge of real ale and latter-day English folk and for me to wax more or less lyrical about The Clash, whom he actually appreciated.
Andrew Berry
The movement has lost huge asset and I have lost a friend:
Someone rightly commented that there are so many empty seats; one of those seats will be Regional Committee. You get some strange arguments and justifications put forward by some on that committee some times feels like a parallel universe. When rest of us would be getting frustrated Malcolm would always be so calm and rational when dealing with such arguments even when those argument didn’t make sense. It is not by any stretch easiest committee to be on but Malcolm helped to make them bearable. I wish I had thanked him more for his support on that committee, I will miss him.
On a lighter note I was recalling when he stayed the night at my house with others as we were all going to Birmingham for a conference the next day, in the morning he went out to get some breakfast and came back with Pizzas much to the disgust of others. He argued it just bread with cheese and sausage not particularly unusual for breakfast they remained unconvinced however I loved the idea of pizza for breakfast. Malcolm and me obviously share a taste for unusual breakfasts. On Thursday I think I will have pizza for breakfast again in his memory.
Someone rightly commented that there are so many empty seats; one of those seats will be Regional Committee. You get some strange arguments and justifications put forward by some on that committee some times feels like a parallel universe. When rest of us would be getting frustrated Malcolm would always be so calm and rational when dealing with such arguments even when those argument didn’t make sense. It is not by any stretch easiest committee to be on but Malcolm helped to make them bearable. I wish I had thanked him more for his support on that committee, I will miss him.
On a lighter note I was recalling when he stayed the night at my house with others as we were all going to Birmingham for a conference the next day, in the morning he went out to get some breakfast and came back with Pizzas much to the disgust of others. He argued it just bread with cheese and sausage not particularly unusual for breakfast they remained unconvinced however I loved the idea of pizza for breakfast. Malcolm and me obviously share a taste for unusual breakfasts. On Thursday I think I will have pizza for breakfast again in his memory.
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Stephen Smellie UNISON Scotland
.
I knew Malcolm through UNISON's Local Government Standing Orders Committee over the past 4 years.
a committee like this, where it is one delegate from each region, can be quite intimidating the first time. You don't know anyone, you're not sure of the procedures, you're scared of making a prat of yourself.
The first time I attended I travelled down from Scotland and got there bright and early.
Malcolm strolled in either just in time or a little late (I later got used to this) but I remember he spotted the 'new boy,' welcomed me and within minutes of the meeting starting we had established that I would usually support what he was saying and vice versa.
Often his was the only supporting vote I got and mine was the only one he got!
That didn't mean we were not right, we just didn't always get enough votes.
In getting to know Malcolm at these brief meetings that only took place a few times a year I warmed to a man who was not only of similar politics to me but was also a genuinely good comrade.
On the Standing Orders Committee we have a job to do to ensure that business at conference is conducted within the rules and that branches are able to participate in the democracy of the union. This is open to interpretation and therefore different opinions.
Malcolm was consistent. He believed that members of the union should be able to participate fully. That there was no place for bureaucratic games to stifle debate. He would argue for the widest debate possible - within the rules.
When Malcolm put forward a proposal we all knew that he would have a clear and coherent argument, that he would be dogged in putting it forward and that, almost always, he would put it forward with humour and always in the spirit of fraternal debate.
I am sad that I never got to know Malcolm better and that coming from Scotland I never had the chance to work with him on many of the issues that he held dear.
I will miss him on the Standing Orders Committee. (I realised this at the recent meeting when I had no-one to support me when I argued that the Lambeth motion should be admitted back onto the agenda!) However the Committee as a whole will miss his contribution, his integrity, his humour and his grammatical pedantry (the thought of all those motions that will now slip through without the benefit of getting corrected by Malcolm - standards will decline!)
My thoughts are with his partner, family and his comrades.
Stephen SmellieUNISON Scotland
I knew Malcolm through UNISON's Local Government Standing Orders Committee over the past 4 years.
a committee like this, where it is one delegate from each region, can be quite intimidating the first time. You don't know anyone, you're not sure of the procedures, you're scared of making a prat of yourself.
The first time I attended I travelled down from Scotland and got there bright and early.
Malcolm strolled in either just in time or a little late (I later got used to this) but I remember he spotted the 'new boy,' welcomed me and within minutes of the meeting starting we had established that I would usually support what he was saying and vice versa.
Often his was the only supporting vote I got and mine was the only one he got!
That didn't mean we were not right, we just didn't always get enough votes.
In getting to know Malcolm at these brief meetings that only took place a few times a year I warmed to a man who was not only of similar politics to me but was also a genuinely good comrade.
On the Standing Orders Committee we have a job to do to ensure that business at conference is conducted within the rules and that branches are able to participate in the democracy of the union. This is open to interpretation and therefore different opinions.
Malcolm was consistent. He believed that members of the union should be able to participate fully. That there was no place for bureaucratic games to stifle debate. He would argue for the widest debate possible - within the rules.
When Malcolm put forward a proposal we all knew that he would have a clear and coherent argument, that he would be dogged in putting it forward and that, almost always, he would put it forward with humour and always in the spirit of fraternal debate.
I am sad that I never got to know Malcolm better and that coming from Scotland I never had the chance to work with him on many of the issues that he held dear.
I will miss him on the Standing Orders Committee. (I realised this at the recent meeting when I had no-one to support me when I argued that the Lambeth motion should be admitted back onto the agenda!) However the Committee as a whole will miss his contribution, his integrity, his humour and his grammatical pedantry (the thought of all those motions that will now slip through without the benefit of getting corrected by Malcolm - standards will decline!)
My thoughts are with his partner, family and his comrades.
Stephen SmellieUNISON Scotland
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