After joining the ETU as an organiser in 1988, Dean Mighell is giving it away.

Here's Melbourne's The Age with a story

Battle-hardened warrior heeds clarion call of home

March 4, 2013

'Tis a voice wavering with emotion and more than a hint of regret.

‘‘I want time to love her more,’’ Dean Mighell says of his wife Mandy.

‘‘I should have had a better marriage, I’ve been there with my boys, I’ve tried to get that right, I’ve coached junior footy,’’ he says as his voice trails off. ‘‘You sit back and they’re 17 and 18.’’

Mighell, just turned 50, has spent more than half his life as a warrior for the Electrical Trades Union, first as an activist then organiser and since 1995 as its outspoken state secretary.

It has been all consuming, with the political and industrial battles and the scandal and intrigue that have trailed Mighell’s career. He has fallen out spectacularly with some former comrades, many of whom have become sworn enemies.  But he is a survivor.

‘‘I keep on getting invitations to Dean’s funeral,’’ senior cabinet minister Bill Shorten has told colleagues over the years. ‘‘He never shows up.’’

Now one of Australia’s best known unionists is moving on, at a time of his choosing. He has planned his own funeral with a well co-ordinated handover to his assistant Troy Gray.  

Of late, Mighell has disaffiliated his union from funding Labor - in fact he's closer to Bob Katter.

It is the latest move –  the ETU donated $50,000 to Katter, that has attracted fresh criticism.

Katter’s background as a National MP in the Bjelke-Petersen government is not forgotten in union circles when thousands of jobs were cut in the electricity industry.

Katter says he wants Mighell in the Senate as he tries to draw links between his party’s rural base and the labour movement.

‘‘He is a bloke of colossal personal force and personal courage, the bastard is as tough as nails,’’ he says.

‘‘I would love to have him as a Senator, a member of parliament, anything at all, he’ll go to one of those positions eventually ... we need that leadership, the country needs that leadership.’’

That appears unlikely but the link between the two, the rural conservative and the left wing union official is not as odd as it seems. Both Mighell and Katter’s politics are in a sense from a pre-1983 or even a 1950s Labor Party, before it embraced the free market.

‘‘I’m an economic nationalist not an economic rationalist,’’ Mighell says.  

And this is Dean's sign-off letter to the members of his union.   I hope he has a happy post unionist life.

Message from Dean Mighell to all members

I am writing to let you know that after 25 years as a full time officer with the Electrical Trades Union Victorian Branch, I have today resigned as State Secretary of our great Union.

Throughout the past two decades, I have always tried my very best to deliver our members and their families the best wages and working conditions possible, together with the highest standards of safety.

It has been an enormous honour and privilege to serve our Union. When I look back at where our Branch was at when I started as an Organiser in 1988, and when I took over as State Secretary in 1995, I am very proud of what the ETU Victorian Branch is today.

During the past 18 years, we have more than doubled our financial membership and our asset base has grown from $8.5M to in excess of $54M. This has allowed us to greatly expand our services and support for members, while also providing the resources to take on all challenges and ensure that the ETU Victorian Branch will be around for decades to come.

In my time with our Union, I have served with some extraordinary people who have given so much to make the ETU what it is today. Wonderful officials and staff, along with the best group of Shop Stewards any Union has ever had, have allowed us to improve conditions in the electrical industry in an unprecedented manner.

I sincerely thank all of these people for their support and their complete commitment to improving our Union for the benefit of all members. The ETU Victorian Branch team, with the backing and strength of our members, leads both the strategy and the fight on industrial wages and conditions - often going where others refuse to tread.

This is what makes our Union great; this is why the ETU is respected. I am extremely proud of all that our team has delivered to members and their families. The list below includes only a few of what I regard as the highlights during recent years:

• ·        industry leading wages and conditions including first union to achieve 36 hour week for the majority of our members;
• ·        annual compounding pay rises via industry-leading enterprise agreements;
• ·        first union to achieve annual salaries of more than $100,000 for the majority of power industry members;
• ·        establishment of Protect, Australia’s best severance scheme and insurance cover;
• ·        strong track record on apprenticeship ratios, more women in the workforce and jobs for older workers;
• ·        emergency transport and funeral benefit cover for members and their families
• ·        thousands of 1%ers with individual members and
• ·        the disputes that have made our mark as one of Australia’s most respected trade unions: Portland Aluminium, City Power, contracting EAs, Smorgons, ACI, Mobil Cracker (36), Crown Casino (36), Docklands Stadium (36), Desal plant and so many more.

It was a difficult decision to stand again at the last election, knowing what I and my family would have to endure, but there were still things I wanted to achieve and changes to make for our Union. Receiving 87% of the membership vote was a great honour, which I thank you for most sincerely, and made the decision to contest easier to live with.

But the time is now right for the ETU to move forward with new leadership and a renewed energy. The environment in which we now operate has changed significantly – and further changes are ahead. Leadership of our Union is being restructured to ensure it supports the modern organisation we have today, with a keen eye on the challenges of tomorrow.

ETU Assistant State Secretary, Troy Gray, will take over from me and will be assisted by our other Assistant State Secretary, Wes Hayes. I am very confident that Troy, Wes, our Organisers and State Councillors will continue to do a great job in protecting and advancing the interests of our members.

On a more personal note, Troy is the most capable, dedicated and committed official I have ever worked with and I am certain that the leadership of our Union is in the right hands. I am also very proud that we have planned and delivered this change, as always, in the best interests of members.

I have been asked to remain with the Union to see in the changes and help prepare the ETU for the challenges we will face in the short and longer term. I have never lost my love for representing workers and making this Union great, I hope to be a strong part of its future success; albeit in a different role.

Thanks for being a part of my journey as leader of the ETU. Together, we have achieved so much. We have lifted wages and conditions, improved work/life balance and, just as importantly, given the electrical trades their rightful pride back.

We are second to none and long may this be so. Thank you for your support, you will always have mine.

Yours sincerely,

Dean Mighell  

Never give in