Trade unions in Ireland and across the globe have paid tribute to the late, great Nelson Mandela following his death on 6^th December. ICTU general secretary David Begg expressed 'deep sadness' at his passing and extended condolences to his family and friends and to the South African trade union movement.

Mr Begg said Mandela was an icon for all who battle injustice. “I extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to  the Congress of South African Trade Unions, who played a pivotal role in the long fight to end Apartheid. That long struggle highlighted the importance of solidarity, as exemplified by the Dunnes workers. Their brave actions gave practical expression to the belief that an injury to one is the concern of all – even if the injured are thousands of miles away on a different continent,” he said.

IMPACT was among the unions that contributed to travelling costs to enable former Dunnes Stores workers to attend Mandela’s funeral. They were on strike for almost three years in the 1980s after being victimised for refusing to handle goods produced in the apartheid state.

John Douglas, general secretary of their union Mandate, said it was fitting that they were able to attend Mandela’s funeral. “Mr Mandela is an enormous loss to South Africa and the rest of the world. His knowledge and leadership will leave an enormous vacuum, which will be extraordinarily difficult to fill. His legacy of justice, equality and solidarity will continue, without borders, forever,” he said.

Rosa Pavanelli, general secretary of the international union federation Public Services International, said: “We are grateful to Madiba for the extraordinary lessons he taught the world. He suffered and fought to end apartheid. He struggled to establish democracy through dialogue. He succeeded in being a great president for South Africa; a respected and inspirational political leader for the whole world and a champion of anti-discrimination, social justice and solidarity.”