November 7, 2023
Last month we thanked and farewelled our Victorian District President, Trevor Williams before his well-earned retirement.
Trevor has spent around a decade serving workers in Victoria’s coal power generation industry.
Trevor worked at Loy Yang Mine as a Dredger Driver and has held various positions with the MEU’s predecessor unions, including Secretary of the Latrobe Valley sub-branch of the Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Association (FEDFA) as well as a Shop Steward and Health and Safety Representative (HSR) for the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).
When Earthworks contractors moved coverage to the Mining and Energy Division of the CFMEU in the early 2000’s Trevor helped establish the Contractors Lodge, serving as their President of the Latrobe Valley Lodge.
Following that, Trevor worked in the construction industry, holding a number of Shop Steward and Health and Safety Representative (HSR) positions.
In 2014, Trevor joined us as an Organiser and in 2016 was elected President of the MEU Victorian District.
Trevor’s introduction to being an Official was eventful, when a few months into the role French company ENGIE reneged on plans to keep Hazelwood power station open to 2025 with only four months’ notice. In four months, 450 direct employees and 300 contractors were going to be out of a job.
During this time, Trevor showed incredible strength and determination, securing a Worker Transfer Agreement representing an average package of $330,000 for affected workers when the company and government of the day were content with inaction.
Under Trevor’s leadership, Hazelwood workers set a precedent that benefited thousands of workers across the country and has paved the way for further coordinated action to look after workers as the nation decarbonises.
Trevor has continued to be been on the frontlines of the energy transition and he has been working to ensure there is coordinated action to supporting the generation of new jobs in coal communities, the transfer of workers between the region’s power stations and mines, better redundancy provisions for coal-fired power station workers through enterprise bargaining, as well as successfully working with our Union to secure a statutory authority in the form of the Net Zero Authority to support and fund the energy transition.
Trevor has had a big job for many years, and we thank him for his commitment to Victorian power generation workers.
Anyone who spent time with Trevor also knows that he is an avid hunter, shooter, boater and four-wheel bush driver, and we hope he has plenty of time to engage in all those activities in retirement. We wish him and his family all the best for the future.
On behalf of the national Union, Trevor was presented with a miner’s lamp – our highest honour for those who have served MEU members.