Mr Dempsey and his family were subjected to threats of violence and murder in 1985, when he was the spokesman for the SEQEB (South East Queensland Electricity Board) linesmen, 1000 of whom were sacked by then premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen for their involvement in industrial action.
Mr Dempsey's wife, Carol, said yesterday her husband had made great friends during that time and was responsible in the early 1990s for ensuring the sacked workers were paid their full superannuation benefits, which Bjelke-Petersen had stripped from them.
"In 1990, Ray was appointed an industrial commissioner by the Goss government and was to be reappointed for his second term in 1997 when Rob Borbidge won government," Mrs Dempsey said.
"But that was stopped by the then industrial relations minister Santo Santoro, who was recently sacked himself by John Howard for not revealing secret share dealings he was involved with.
"Santoro hated Ray because of the stance my husband took for the workers in the SEQEB strike, and he used to abuse him at public functions when I was there as well.
"Santoro swore he would get Ray, and he did by refusing to reappoint him as a commissioner. He was a total bastard. It caused enormous financial stress to this family, and Ray spent the last few years as an industrial consultant working from home.
"A couple of weeks ago, Ray sent an email to Santoro telling him how he was pleased to see justice done before he went."
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