Sir Tom Skinner | |
|---|---|
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| 4th President of the Federation of Labour | |
| In office 20 August 1963 – 2 May 1979 | |
| Vice President | James Napier (1963–1972) James Boomer (1972–79) |
| Preceded by | Fintan Patrick Walsh |
| Succeeded by | Jim Knox |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tamaki | |
| In office 27 November 1946 – 30 November 1949 | |
| Preceded by | seat created |
| Succeeded by | Eric Halstead |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Edward Skinner 18 April 1909 Mangaweka, New Zealand |
| Died | 11 November 1991 (aged 82) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouses | Martha May Wangford
(m. 1931; div. 1942)Mary Ethel "Molly" Yardley
(m. 1942) |
| Children | 3 |
Sir Thomas Edward Skinner KBE KStJ JP (18 April 1909 – 11 November 1991) was a New Zealand politician and Trades Union leader.
Sir Tom served as President of the Auckland Trades Council from 1954 to 1976, and President of the New Zealand Federation of Labour from 1959 until 1979. Skinner was known as a conciliatory and accommodating political leader, and in the 1970s he was seen as the voice of unionism in New Zealand. He served on several international union forums, including a spell as a member of the body controlling the International Labour Organization. He was instrumental in founding the Shipping Corporation of New Zealand, and was knighted in 1976.