EMILIO BARBÓN

(1930 - 2003)
Born in El Rebollusu, on the Laviana hill, he was afflicted from birth from a handicap which kept him from walking (he always used crutches), but which never kept him from reaching his social and personal goals which he had set for himself . Son of a confined miner after the civil war, he studied with grants and completed Law after which he practised, firstly in Barredos and later in Pola de Laviana. Member of the and the PSOE and the UGT in 1957, just after completing his career, he was the most important figure in the reconstruction of the socialist organizations during the Francoist period. He played various roles in both organizations during the Francoist underground period and was general secretary of the UGT. During the elections of 1977 he was chosen as deputy, responsible during the constituent legistlation, and, and in the pre autonomous government and Asturian autonomic, was the employment minister under the presidency of Rafael Fernández. He ended his working life as a social Magistrate for the Superior Social Tribunal of Justice of Asturias.