In Memoriam - Juozas Neverauskas, the President of the Lithuanian Industry Trade Union Federation

In memoriam of Juozas Neverauskas

(07 September 2020) Juozas Neverauskas, the President of the Lithuanian Industry Trade Union Federation (LPPSF), died after fighting a serious illness on the 4th September. Juozas was 71. He was President of the union for the last 14 years. Juozas was a member of the EPSU Standing Committee Utilities and of the EPSU Executive Committee for many years. Our thoughts are with his family, his daughter Goda, his friends and the many comrades in the trade union movement. EPSU has sent a letter of condolences to the famly and union. We wish them strength and courage in this difficult moment.

Before becoming to the leadership of the trade union, he worked in Lithuanian television (LRT). He was the head of the LRT trade union in 1995-1996. Juozas became the President of the Lithuanian Energy Workers' Trade Union Federation in 2007 and following a merger in 2012 - the President of the Lithuanian Industry Trade Union Federation. I will remember Juozas as a very committed unionist. We worked together in the European Citizens Initiative Right to Water. He brought together an alliance of unions and others and ensured Lithuania was one of the countries that passed thr threshold required. He was a tireless campaigner and worked with the unions and others to underline how CETA, the trade agreement between the EU and Canada was not a good deal with workers and people. Over the years I had the occassion to work with him over energy policy, the concerns of nuclear workers, the privatisation of energy companies and so much more. When opposing the labour law reform proposals of the government he hammered letters of EPSU to the trees in squares in Vilnues and we cross-examined politicians in one of our constituency meetings in Vilnus. He always put the interests of the unions members upfront. Juozas will be missed. He will be remembered.

Lithuania