Harry Goring: South West Organiser

18 September 2002

Griffith Regional Organiser Harry Goring has always been a people person and has always sought to lend a hand to his fellow workers. After 10 years as a union delegate, Harry was offered a management position at the Roads and Traffic Authority. “I had a choice,” he says. “Either join management or stick with the workers. I chose the workers,” he says. And since making that decision, Harry has never looked back.

Already a long-term member of the AWU, coming on board as an Organiser enabled Harry to return to his hometown of Griffith where he says he has also become a “de facto trades and Labor office”.

“Part of my role in this region has been supporting unions as a whole and fielding calls from people across the industries,” he says.

Harry says his region enjoys high employment levels within a range of different industries, including metal, poultry, shearing, viticulture, rice paddies, irrigation, civil works and horticulture.
Currently in the process of expanding on the strong union base already enjoyed in the shearing industry, Harry says pulling down contract employment is another priority.

“What we want is to see as many people in secure jobs as possible,” he says.

As for the future, Harry says he hopes to keep playing a role in the continuing prosperity of area and will keep working to strengthen his union’s presence so all eligible workers in the region can enjoy the job protection AWU membership affords.