John William MacBean AM (11 July 1935 – 26 May 2024) was an Australian trade union leader and Secretary of the

Labor Council of New South Wales The Labor Council of New South Wales, branded Unions NSW, is the peak body for trade unions in the state of New South Wales, Australia. As of 2005 there are 67 unions and 8 Rural and Regional Trades & Labor Councils affiliated to the Labor Cou ...

from 1984 to 1988.

Early life

John MacBean was born in

Newcastle, New South Wales Newcastle, also commonly referred to as Greater Newcastle ( ; ), is a large Metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the second-most-populous such area of New South Wales, Australia. It includes the cities of City of Newcastle, Newcastle and Ci ...

on 11 July 1935, the son of Jack and Eileen MacBean. His father was a first aid attendant at the Broadmeadow locomotive workshops and later Vice-President of the state branch of the

Australian Railways Union The Australian Railways Union (ARU) was an Australian trade union in existence from 1920 to 1993. The ARU was an industrial union, representing all types of workers employed in the rail industry, excluding locomotive enginedrivers and tradesm ...

. He left school at 15 to take up an apprenticeship with the Newcastle Electricity Supply Council Administration as an electrical fitter.

Career

After completing his apprenticeship, MacBean became a delegate for the Electrical Trades Union, later becoming an organiser in 1964. He was also a member of the Adamstown branch of the

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also known as the Labor Party or simply Labor, is the major Centre-left politics, centre-left List of political parties in Australia, political party in Australia and one of two Major party, major parties in Po ...

(ALP) and a Newcastle city councillor. In 1972 he was appointed as industrial officer at the

, the peak representative body for trade unions in the state, and then elected as an organiser in 1975. MacBean was a member of the right wing of the labour movement and was supported by the Secretary of the Labor Council,

Barrie Unsworth Barrie John Unsworth (born 16 April 1934) is an Australian former politician, representing the Labor Party in the Parliament of New South Wales from 1978 to 1991. He served as the 36th Premier from July 1986 to March 1988. Since the death o ...

, who was also from the right. In 1979 MacBean was elected Assistant Secretary of the Labor Council and then Secretary in 1984. He would continue to hold the position of Secretary until 1988. During this period he adopted a more conciliatory approach towards the left-wing unions than his predecessor, Unsworth. He also served as President of the NSW branch of the ALP from 1983 to 1989, as well as Senior Vice-President of the

Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated trade union, unions and eight t ...

from 1985 to 1989. MacBean died from complications of

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

on 26 May 2024, at the age of 88.John William MacBean
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:MacBean, John 1935 births 2024 deaths Australian trade unionists Members of the Order of Australia Councillors of Sydney County Council People from Newcastle, New South Wales Deaths from Parkinson's disease in Australia