Federation members Shaun and Justin Bradley showed off both their musical talents and their commitment to unionism when they took to the stage for the May Day family fun day at Parramatta.
Their band, Brother Brad, includes their father Steve Husband, their aunt Maryanne and their uncle Ray.
“The May Day event at Parramatta this year was amazing; to play music alongside our father, aunty and uncle was a buzz. It’s also important to mention our wonderful friend, Willem Van Ekert, who we went to school with who provides rock solid support behind us on the drums,” Shaun said.
“Music, dodgem cars, giant slides, ice-creams, sausage sizzles; it’s exciting to see the event grow each year, I’m looking forward to one-day taking my own children to it!”
Shaun is Fed Rep at Edgeware School and Justin is a Federation Workplace Committee member at Newtown High School of Performing Arts.
The brothers spring from a family of unionists. Their band-member father is a Maritime Union of Australia delegate of 23 years and their mother Kathy is a Federation member.
“Our family has been brought up with strong values of social justice. Instilled in us from an early age was the sense that people come from all walks of life and all people deserve fairness, respect and opportunity,” Shaun said.
“Growing up in a mixed family with New Zealand Maori and rural-Australian heritage, we have developed a deep respect for First Nations people and the ongoing fight and struggles of those communities.
“We’ve been raised to approach situations through a lens of compassion and understanding, and this has shaped our teaching practice…(We are) heavily ingrained in the union movement and those values are passed on and absorbed through family and upbringing.”