A FORGOTTEN hero.

This was how former trade union leader and retired Industrial Court judge Joe Young was remembered by comrades during his funeral service yesterday.

Young, 80, died last Tuesday after battling pneumonia for several weeks.

Final rites for Young were yesterday held at the auditorium of the Transport and Industrial Workers' Union (TIWU) located along the Eastern Main Road in Laventille.

Young founded the TIWU.

Around 10 a.m. Young's body was brought to the TIWU auditorium where the viewing of his body took place.

Artistic Director Richard Young, one of Joe Young's sons, arranged the decoration of the TIWU Hall.

After a couple hours of the viewing of the body, several prominent figures from different spheres in the society paid tributes to Young.

Soca artiste Wendell Manwarren of the group 3 Canal was the master of ceremonies.

Among those who paid tribute to Young were Ferdie Ferreira, a founding member of the People's National Movement (PNM), Raffique Shah, Prof Rhoda Reddock and Sunity Maharaj.

Industrial Court judge Gregory Rousseau who described himself as Young's understudy, said most of the rights which workers now take for granted were as a result of Young's struggles.

Two of Young's sons, Richard and Robert, described their father as being a man who gave his all for fighting for the right of the working class.

Retired Dean of the Trinity Cathedral, Canon Knolly Clarke, who conducted the service, lamented that Young was left out as one of the country's 50 heroes during this year's jubilee celebrations for Independence Day.

"He was one of the great figures of this society, in the heroes you did not see his face but this is the kind of nation we are," Clarke said.

Clarke said Young, whom he described as "one of the icons and pillars of Trinidad and Tobago", never compromised his position "as many did in his time".

Roman Catholic priest Father Clive Harvey said Young was not just a "rabble rouser".

Harvey said Young "never asked for anything but the opportunity to serve". Harvey also invoked the services of the divine comrade to assist the labour movement in their struggles.