Harry David Krantz OAM (24 November 1919 – 30 March 2006) was an Australian trade union leader. He was Secretary of the South Australian branch of the

Federated Clerks' Union The Federated Clerks Union of Australia (FCU) was an Australian trade union representing clerical workers, in existence from 1911 to 1993, when it amalgamated with the Australian Services Union. History Between 1900 and 1907, attempts were made to ...

(FCU) from 1941 to 1984. Krantz, whose political views were formed during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

, became secretary of the Federated Clerks' Union's South Australian branch in 1941, when aged only twenty-one, after the previous incumbent was killed in a bicycle accident. The branch at this time was almost moribund, with only around twenty members. Krantz became known for his advocacy for the union before the Industrial Court and the Industrial Commission, and shortly after his election as secretary the union established the award rate for clerks. Krantz joined the Australian Imperial Force in 1942 and served with the

Royal Australian Engineers The Royal Australian Engineers (RAE) is the military engineering corps of the Australian Army (although the word corps does not appear in their name or on their badge). The RAE is ranked fourth in seniority of the corps of the Australian Army, be ...

throughout the

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, leaving the leadership of the FCU to Elizabeth Teesdale-Smith, first female secretary of a South Australian trade union. He took leave from the army in 1943 and 1946 to run as the Labor Party candidate for the seat of

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against

Archie Cameron Archie Galbraith Cameron (22 March 18959 August 1956) was an Australian politician. He was a government minister under Joseph Lyons and Robert Menzies, leader of the Country Party from 1939 to 1940, and finally Speaker of the House of Represen ...

. In the former contest, he scored a swing of 15 percent and nearly unseated Cameron. To date, this is the last time Labor has come anywhere close to taking what has long been the most conservative seat in South Australia. After his return from the war, Krantz was associated with the left of the union movement, being ardently opposed to

B. A. Santamaria Bartholomew Augustine Santamaria, usually known as B. A. Santamaria (14 August 1915 – 25 February 1998), was an Australian Roman Catholic Anti-communism, anti-Communist political activist and journalist. He was a guiding influence in the found ...

and the "groupers". He retired from the union in 1984, by which time it had more than 6,000 members. Krantz was also President of the Industrial Relations Society of South Australia (1972–73), chairman of the Remuneration Tribunal, chairman of the South Australian Trotting Control Board, and a board member of the State Government Insurance Commission and the Workers Educational Association. He was awarded the

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in 1981. He died after a brief illness on 30 March 2006.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krantz, Harry 1919 births 2006 deaths Australian trade unionists Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia