Day and daily we hear of deaths across the world, Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine etc. and they often make headline news. However closer to home the deaths continue, day and daily, ordinary folks die at work, often due to lack of or faulty safety equipment, over-worked through pressure from bosses causing mistakes and a multitude of other avoidable reasons. Today we pay our respects to another worked killed at work but we will probably not read about it in the press.
Ray Jessop died yesterday following an accident at work. Ray, a painter by trade, he fell from a ladder and died of his injuries soon after.
Ray was a founder member of the short-lived Hull GMB. He signed up in January 2002, and was one of only three members who stayed with the OBU after the collapse of the Hull branch. Few of the the current membership would have known him; his last attendance at an event outside of Hull was at the pre-onference "way ahead" meeting in July 2004. Also he was not in his element at meetings: in the minutes of the 2003 AGM he is listed as "Softly spoken bloke with long hair and earrings (who the minute-taker couldn't hear)". But he could always be relied to take part in direct action. He was up for anything in that line. Many causes have benefitted from his support, practical and financial. He was a stalwart of the animal rights movement, of the campaign against the arms trade, of the Palestine Solidarity movement. He will be missed in the ranks of these and other radical organisations.
Ray was 51 years old. As far as I know he leaves no partner or children. Although he was a very outgoing and sociable fellow, we never seem to have got round to discussing his private life.
Details thanks to IWW members.
Details thanks to IWW members.
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