Remembering Michael 'Butch' Power of Waterford Crystal

Michael 'Butch' Power was laid to rest last week after a Requiem Mass at the Holy Family Church in Waterford city.

The father of seven was a dedicated fighter for social causes and workers' rights. At the funeral mass, he was remembered by his close friend Jimmy Kelly, who offered his sincere condolences "to Betty and to all your sons and daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, the grandchildren and the wider family".

Jimmy recalled the context in which Michael tried to shape his working life and that of his fellow workers "for the better".

"For the years Butch spent in Waterford Crystal, he will be recalled as a union stalwart, shop steward, chief shop steward, branch chairman and union officer. Butch Power was a union leader workers could, and did, look up to," he said.

He said Michael's communication skills were "first class, whether he was speaking with one member or addressing a mass meeting of all our members".

Coming from the Blowers Section of Waterford Crystal, Michael took a senior position within the branches in Waterford and Dungarvan.

"He was a man to be trusted and with his natural instinct on behalf of workers, they knew Butch would always represent their best interest and would always get the best agreement possible," Jimmy said.

"We are saying farewell to a very good man, a big man in lots of ways, who was a good friend to many. He championed the cause of workers at Waterford Crystal and, as a union officer, workers across Waterford."

The Glass workers took up the national issue that saw PAYE workers paying the bulk of taxation, in the region of 86% of all income tax, collected in the State. 

"This meant going up against the employers, the Revenue and the Government," said Jimmy.

"With much thanks to Butch, his standing being what it was, agreement was got from the payroll staff not to run the wage program on the main computer. Following negotiations, the company, however reluctantly, paid our wages, without income tax or PRSI deductions.

"When declared by Butch on the main evening news, the prospect of this action being repeated by other workplaces sent a shiver through the government."

Butch travelled to other workplaces advocating for similar action for tax justice and spoke at numerous public demonstrations of Unite the Union's branches. 

"Butch was asked by a reporter how would we pay back our taxes. Butch replied we will pay it back weekly, 'Very Weakly'," said Jimmy. 

A Commission on Taxation was set up by government that produced reforms, and shone a light on those enjoying tax avoidance measures and tax evasion.

"This indeed was an inspiring example of which there are many, when workers took up the political issues," said Jimmy. "Butch was one of our two full-time convenors leading the campaign along with 40 shop stewards.

"Butch was also on board in 1981 for our supportive involvement in the demands for political status of political prisoners in the Maze prisons of H-Block. 

"Strike action was taken on the occasion of the death of each of the 10 hunger strikers. Many workers took time to work on behalf of Kevin Lynch, when he stood for the Waterford constituency in the General Election that year.

"Butch as a senior lay leader supported without question, this great solidarity action."

Waterford Crystal workers had at the time a strong tradition of supporting appeals that, according to Jimmy, "benefitted not only our local community but further afield".

"Butch would have supported all and coordinated some of these, including, the likes of the Campaign for Radiotherapy, Cardiac Care, Fight for Sight and the support for the Convoy to Chernobyl, on which our members made the arduous overland trip to help those facing the horrors of the Nuclear reactor fallout," he said.

"Butch was a man of great intellect, had he chosen another path he would have achieved the highest status our education system has to offer. Each year of his working life Butch was completing the equivalent of compiling a thesis, reaching degree status in his chosen field would, there is no doubt, have been a given for Butch.

"Thankfully the path he did choose in representing workers gave all of us the benefit of his energy and skill as a worker’s representative, a comrade and as a friend – for all that, today we say a massive thank you to Butch and all his family. Thank you Butch for all the memories.

"Rest in Peace Brother."