General Secretary of the TUC
Encyclopedia
The General Secretary of the TUC is the chief permanent officer of the Trades Union Congress
, and a major figurehead in the trade union
movement in the United Kingdom.
The Secretary is responsible for the effective operation of the TUC and for leading implementation of policies set by the annual Congress and the organisation's General Council. He also serves as the TUC's chief representative, both with the public and with other organisations.
The position was formed in 1921, when the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC became the General Council. The position of Secretary has been a permanent, full-time position in the TUC since 1904. Before that, the Secretary was elected annually at Congress.
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
, and a major figurehead in the trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
movement in the United Kingdom.
The Secretary is responsible for the effective operation of the TUC and for leading implementation of policies set by the annual Congress and the organisation's General Council. He also serves as the TUC's chief representative, both with the public and with other organisations.
The position was formed in 1921, when the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC became the General Council. The position of Secretary has been a permanent, full-time position in the TUC since 1904. Before that, the Secretary was elected annually at Congress.
Secretaries of the Parliamentary Committee of the TUC
- W. H. Wood (1868–1869)
- George PotterGeorge PotterGeorge Potter was a prominent British trade unionist.-Biography:George Potter was born in Kenilworth, where his father worked as a carpenter. He was educated for a short time at a local dame school, but left to work at a young age to supplement his father's income of three shillings a day...
(1869–1872) - George OdgerGeorge OdgerGeorge Odger was a pioneer British trade unionist. He is best remembered as the head of the London Trades Council during the period of formation of the Trades Union Congress and as the first President of the First International.-Early years:...
(1872–1873) - George Howell (1873–1876)
- Henry BroadhurstHenry BroadhurstHenry Broadhurst was a leading early British trade unionist and a Lib-Lab politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1885 and 1906....
(1876–1885) - George ShiptonGeorge Shipton-Trade union activity:Shipton worked as a builder and became involved in trade unionism by joining the Land and Labour League, where he became a strong supporter of George Odger. In 1872, he was elected as the General Secretary of the London Trades Council...
(1885–1886) - Henry BroadhurstHenry BroadhurstHenry Broadhurst was a leading early British trade unionist and a Lib-Lab politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1885 and 1906....
(1886–1890) - Charles FenwickCharles FenwickCharles Fenwick was a British trade unionist and Liberal–Labour politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1918....
(1890–1894) - Sam WoodsSam WoodsSam Woods was a British trade unionist and politician who served as a Member of Parliament in the 1890s.Born at Peasley Cross in St Helens, Woods began working in coal mining at the age of seven...
(1894–1905) - W. C. Steadman (1905–1911)
- C. W. Bowerman (1911–1921)
General Secretaries of the TUC
- C. W. Bowerman (10 September 1921 – 8 September 1923)
- Fred BramleyFred BramleyFred Bramley was the second General Secretary of the British Trade Union Congress .Born in Pool near Otley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Bramley worked as a cabinet maker and joined the Independent Labour Party...
(8 September 1923 – 10 October 1925) (died in office) - Sir Walter Citrine (Acting General Secretary from 10 October 1925 – 11 September 1926) (11 September 1926 – 21 October 1946)
- Sir Vincent TewsonVincent TewsonVincent Tewson was a British trade unionst and general secretary of the Trades Union Congress from 1946 to 1960. He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire and died in Letchworth, Hertfordshire...
(21 October 1946 – 6 September 1960) - George WoodcockGeorge Woodcock (trade unionist)George Woodcock was a British trade unionist and general secretary of the Trades Union Congress from 1960 to 1969....
(6 September 1960 – 26 February 1969) - Vic FeatherVic FeatherVictor Grayson Hardie Feather, Baron Feather was General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress in Great Britain from 1969 to 1973....
(Acting General Secretary from 26 February 1969 – 2 September 1969) (2 September 1969 – 7 September 1973) - Len MurrayLen MurrayLionel Murray, Baron Murray of Epping Forest, OBE PC, known as Len Murray was a British Labour politician and union leader.-Early life:...
(7 September 1973– 7 September 1984) - Norman WillisNorman WillisNorman David Willis was the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress in the United Kingdom from 1984–1993, and President of the European Trade Union Confederation 1991–93.-Early life:...
(7 September 1984 – 10 September 1993) - John MonksJohn MonksJohn Stephen Monks, Baron Monks is a member of the House of Lords and was the General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress in the UK from 1993 until 2003, when he became the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation .-Early life:He attended Ducie Technical High School John...
(10 September 1993 –29 May 2003) - Brendan BarberBrendan BarberBrendan Paul Barber has been the General Secretary of the United Kingdom's Trades Union Congress since June 2003.-Early life:...
(29 May 2003 – )
See also
- President of the Trades Union CongressPresident of the Trades Union CongressThe President of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism.The President is elected at the annual conference of the Trades Union Congress . They officially fill the office for the remainder of the year and then preside over the following...