THE Dorset secretary of a leading union has been honoured for more than 50 years' service.

Ernie Amey, 78, of Shaw Close, Blandford, has been branch secretary for the Transport and General Workers' Union since 1949.

He was presented with a certificate marking his time in the job by union assistant general secretary Barry Camfield at a meeting at the Trade and Labour Club in Poole.

Retired farm worker Mr Amey, who has no plans to step down from the job, said: "I was quite surprised when they made the announcement, but I felt great about it.

"There have been some difficult times but there have been quite a few good moments over the years."

During his time in the job Mr Amey has helped workers claim over £2 million in compensation and has played a major role in union recruitment.

One of nine children, Mr Amey began work aged 12, earning just 38 pence per week. It was the poverty his family experienced, living off rabbits poached by his father, that drove him later to fight for better wages for farm workers.

In the 80s, he organised more than 2,000 letters to be sent to Margaret Thatcher protesting at the proposed abolition of the Wages Board.

Mr Amey said: "It's always been a struggle to get the wages up for agricultural workers. Even when the farmers were doing well it was never reflected in the workers' pay packets."

Other highlights include planting a tree in Moscow in 1971 on behalf of the union, as a symbol of solidarity between the union and Russian agricultural workers.