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He recollected key disputes and some of the giants of trade union history, past and present, with whom he had worked, before stating: “Many union bodies are good at talking. The ITF has always been good at acting.
He continued: “Twenty years after my appointment as acting general secretary following the decision of my predecessor, Harold Lewis, to retire at the age of 60, I made the same announcement. The ITF executive board then decided to appoint Stephen Cotton to the same position. So far history has repeated itself very nicely. You just have one last step to take – to elect Stephen as general secretary at the end of this Congress.
“So thanks to all the sisters, brothers, colleagues and friends in this great movement who have supported me, and the very best of wishes to Stephen, to Paddy, and to those who will eventually come after them.
“As Stephen knows very well, I have not and will never forget the ITF family. When you elect him at the end of this week – as I am sure you will – from now on it will be his task to raise the ITF to even greater heights. It is a task to which he is more than equal and I am proud to have been his predecessor.
“This is my eighth congress,” he told the audience, “It’s also the first where I have had plenty of time to talk to delegates and no responsibility for the difficult decisions. Believe me I’m enjoying it!”
He closed by saying: “Brothers and sisters, above all though, is my pride in having worked for the great and mighty ITF. I may have annoyed a few in my time by saying the ITF is the best of the global union organisations, but I truly believe it is. As Harold Lewis was told by his predecessor: ‘it’s the best job in the world’. It has been an incredible privilege to serve as ITF general secretary.
“Thank you all.”