Foster John (AEU)

John Foster

My father-in-law John Foster (pictured below) was a prominent member of the AEU, originally Kingston District Secretary, and finally a National Organiser of the union. He was also a life-long member of the Communist Party until the break-up in 1992. 

His brother George Foster was also a Party member and was the AEU convener in Carreras the cigarette manufacturers in Basildon, leading a six-month strike of maintenance workers there in early seventies.  John Foster’s son, also John, was originally a member of the print union SLADE. He became a full-time official of Equity and then the NUJ. He became General Secretary of the NUJ and remained so until his retirement.   –    Jim Gibb