TRIBUTES have been pouring in for Mary Turner – the Irish dinner lady who became president of the GMB union – after her death last week aged 79.
Mary, originally from Thurles in Co. Tipperary, moved to England aged 12 and was educated at Carlton Vale Secondary Modern in Kilburn.
Born Mary O’Brien, she worked in the clothing and printing industries before becoming a dinner lady at Salisbury Road Infants and Junior School in Queens Park in 1969.
She became the school’s workplace representative for the GMB trade union and went on to be elected to several local, regional and national positions within the organisation.
In 1997, she became GMB President and retained that position until her death at her home in Brent last week.
In addition to being President of the GMB, Britain’s third largest union, Mary was elected to the Labour Party National Executive Committee in 1995 and became Party Chair in 2003.
She received an MBE in 2010, the TUC’s Gold Badge in 2012, the GMB Eleanor Marx Award in 2016 and a CBE in 2017.
Mary always said that one of her proudest moments was meeting Nelson Mandela after the fall of apartheid in South Africa.
She retained close links with local workers in Brent and Barnet and often campaigned on their behalf.
Paying tribute to Mary, GMB general secretary Tim Roache said: “The world ‘giant’ is sometimes overused. But in the case of Mary she really was a true giant of the movement.”
Richard Lynch, Branch President added: “Mary was respected, admired and loved by all who met her and she never stopped fighting against injustice or turned away somebody who needed help. She will be sorely missed.”
Mary Turner also campaigned enthusiastically for free school meals and was a notable anti-racism campaigner.
She put her drive for opposing discrimination down to seeing signs saying “no blacks, no Irish, no dogs” when she first came to England as a small girl.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady described Mary as “a true champion of free school meals and a fighter to the end”.
Former GMB leader Sir Paul Kenny added: “Mary never lost her roots. She was hardworking and treated everyone the same — from prime ministers to cleaners.”
Mary Turner, Irish trade unionist, born June 15, 1938, died July 19, 2017.
