Bill Ludwig

William Patrick Ludwig (25 May 1934 – 11 April 2022) was a senior Australian trade union official who served as National President of the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), with a brief interruption, from 1989 to 2017. Ludwig was a prominent figure in the Australian Labor Party, heading the Labor Forum or AWU Faction which dominated the Queensland branch of the party.

Early life and career Ludwig was born in Longreach, Queensland, on 25 May 1934. The death of his mother when Ludwig was aged twelve was described as a formative experience. Raised by his maternal aunts, Ludwig attended Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane, leaving school at fifteen. After a period spent working in Victoria, Ludwig served as an AWU Queensland shed representative until 1970, when he was appointed as Western District organiser in Cunnamulla and later in Roma.

Ludwig is credited with reuniting and reinvigorating the union in the mid-1990s when it was beset with internal fighting and close to bankruptcy. The 2003 agreement was signed by MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin and AWU leaders Bill Ludwig and Bill Shorten. In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal in recognition of his contribution to Australian society.

Personal life Ludwig's son, Joe Ludwig, was an Labor Senator from Queensland who served in various ministerial portfolios including Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister Assisting on Queensland Flood Recovery.,

Death Ludwig died on 11 April 2022, aged 87. Following his death, Queensland Acting Premier Cameron Dick paid tribute to Ludwig, stating: "Bill was one of the first people I spoke to after I was appointed Queensland Treasurer. These were the some of the hardest days of the pandemic, and things still looked bleak. Bill and I agreed that looking after Queensland workers, their families and their jobs had to be the Labor government's priority."

The Australian Workers' Union described Ludwig as "a giant of the labour movement in Australia", noting that "if there is one value that defined Bill, it was his unwavering view that workers should be able to organise collectively and stand up for their interests against bad bosses, and if need be, against politicians."