Bob was such a vital, tough, campaigning tower of strength that it’s
almost impossible to believe that he is no longer with us. Bob was many
things: a true fighter for workers’ rights, an internationalist and an
inspiration to the last. He was also a close personal friend.
Bob’s family’s loss was also his members’ loss and the world trade union
community’s loss. Bob’s untimely death left a giant gap in our lives, both
personal and as a global activist. He never faltered from the certainty
that the global trade union movement could make a difference to workers¹
lives. His work mobilising international support for workers, including
those of Cuba and Palestine, lives on.
Steve Cotton,
ITF general secretary