People Australia

Kenna, John ‘Jack’ (1914-2011) tailor’s presser, trimmer, and cutter and trade union leader 

Birth: 26 June 1914 in Surry Hills, Sydney, New South Wales, son of native-born parents James O’Connor Kenna (1883-1950), carpenter, and Victorian-born Charlotte Agnes Sophia, née Horne (1891-1973). Marriages: (1) 27 December 1937 at St Joseph’s church, Newtown, Sydney, to native-born Lilian Frances Jupp (1913-1993), a tailoress. They had one son. The marriage ended in divorce. (2) 12 February 1971 at the Registrar General’s Office, Sydney, to Thora Lucy, née Parkes, late Kearney (1922-2015). Death: May 2011 at Botany. Religion: Catholic. 

• By 1936 was a tailor’s presser, living with his parents and siblings at Dulwich Hill, Sydney.
• About 1945 became pressers' delegate, NSW branch of the Clothing & Allied Trades' Union (CATU). Leader of emerging right-wing Grouper [Industrial Group] faction within Australian Labor Party. Became branch organiser of CATU in 1952. In 1954 outmanoeuvred left-ALP faction to become secretary, with 'Kenna team' taking effective control of branch.
• Led zealous assault on illegal outwork, perceiving outwork as a threat to both the women concerned and the union.
• Prominent foundation member of Democratic Labor Party in NSW. Stood as DLP candidate for Sydney City Council in December 1956.
• From 1957 on began to lose control of NSW branch of the CATU. By 1958 had lost support of former right-wing ally in union Jim Collins.
• 1959 unsuccessfully opposed branch’s endorsement of federal council's decision to intervene in Queensland branch, the only other right-wing dominated branch. Without its support his position became very tenuous.
• In 1960 was defeated for secretaryship of the CATU by Collins as ALP endorsed candidate.
• In October 1961 he pleaded guilty of embezzling trade union funds and was placed on a good behaviour bond for ten years.
• His younger brother was playwright Peter Joseph Kenna (1930-1987).

Sources
Bradon Ellem, In women’s hands? A history of clothing trades unionism in Australia (Sydney, 1989).