Crikey has literally produced hundreds of lists over the past six years
but one of my all-time favourites was the long list of former union
officials who had crossed to the other side to join big companies or
take on a senior management role.

Many unionists are up in arms about Hugh Armstrong, the 29 year veteran of unions or workplace compensation,
for accepting a position on John Howard’s Fair Pay Commission, which is expected to take a tough line on the minimum wage.

However, Hugh is just the latest in a long line as you can see from our
list which includes more than 50 names that were supplied in 2002 and
2003. Sure, some of it will be a little dated so please send through
any corrections or additions to [email protected]

Here are a few of the more notable examples:

Simon Billing: WA Branch BLF to NSW Branch of Australian Mines and Metals
Association (representing Rio Tinto and the like).

Gary Collis: former SA State Sec with ASE/FIMEE, then Liberal appointed
Employee Advocate for SA.

Mike Coonan: from AWU to blue-blood
legal firm Freehills.

Graham Gosling: from national official of CEPU, to senior executive
with Thiess.

Peter Marsh: from the ACTU to Qantas.


John Henderson: from AMWU firebrand to Adecco.


Dave Higgon: NSW BWIU to Multiplex.

Paul Houlihan:
from the Federated Clerks Union to Reith henchman on the waterfront.


Heinz Lepahe: former AWU official to the Australian
Industry Group.

Chris McArdle: NSW
Labor Council to solicitor with KPMG legal advising employers on anti-union
tactics.

Peter
Parkinson: from Trades Hall Council industrial officer to Transfield’s
national HR manager.

Ann Sherry: from Victorian Public Sector
Union to CEO Bank of Melbourne and Group Executive for Westpac.

Brian
Sullivan: former ASU national executive president, to Victorian Department
of Human Services as an IR consultant.

John Tolley: former
federal industrial officer for the Printing and Kindred Industries Union, who
went to work as HR manager for Lindsay Fox, then joined the Industrial Relations Commission.

John Van Camp: from
CFMEU-FEDFA state secretary to Grocon Industrial Manager.

Tony Wilk: CFMEU to General Manager
Development, Adsteam Marine.

Jim Young: former Secretary of Victoria’s Public Service Union, then KPMG, then boss of Global Employee Relations at NAB.