Len McCluskey

Len McCluskey
Born Leonard David McCluskey
July 23, 1950 (1950-07-23) (age 61)[1]
Liverpool
Nationality British
Known for Trade unionist
Spouse (1) Ann P Doyle (1969-1997)[2]
Partner [3]
Children (1) 1 child
Parents Leonard McCluskey and Margaret Fulton [4]

Len McCluskey (born 1950) is the General Secretary[5] of the British and Irish union Unite and a former Liverpool dock worker.

Contents

Early life

McCluskey was born in the Liverpool docklands.[6] and went to Cardinal Godfrey school in Anfield.[7] During his teenage years he went to work for the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company and remained there for the next 11 years.[6]

He has been a trade unionist since 1968, when he was a dock worker in Liverpool.[8][9] He became a shop steward aged 19,[10] and was a campaign organiser for the TGWU in Merseyside during the 1980s after becoming an officer of the union in 1979.[8] He supported Liverpool Militant during the 1980s, but was not a member.[6] He has been a member of the Labour Party (UK) since 1970.[6][8]

Trade Union career

He became the national secretary for the TGWU's General Workers group in 1990,[8] and moved to London to work in the union headquarters.[6] He became the TGWU's national organiser for the service industries in 2004.[8] Before being elected as general secretary of Unite in November 2010, he was Unite's assistant general secretary for industrial strategy.[8] He self-defines as being on the left of the union, and has been given the label "Red Len" due to his involvement in Unite's dispute with BA.[10]

McCluskey was elected on 21 November 2010 as general secretary of Unite to replace the joint general secretaries Derek Simpson and Tony Woodley.[8] Simpson retired in December 2010, and Woodley was scheduled to retire in December 2011. It was intended that the winner of the 2010 General Secretary would work alongside Tony Woodley as "general secretary designate" until then.[10] However, Tony Woodley offered his resignation as General Secretary, effective from January 31, 2011, at which point Len McCluskey became General Secretary in his own right.[5]

Len McCluskey received 101,000 votes on a 15% turnout, ahead of Jerry Hicks (52,000 votes), Les Bayliss (46,000 votes) and Gail Cartmail (39,000 votes).[11] He has said that he will serve a single five-year term.[10]

References

  1. ^ Companies House
  2. ^ General Register Office for England and Wales
  3. ^ Life and Times of Red Len
  4. ^ Ancestry website
  5. ^ a b http://www.unitetheunion.org/news__events/latest_news/new_role_for_tony_woodley_uni.aspx?lang=en-gb
  6. ^ a b c d e Hernon, Ian (18 December 2009). "Ian Hernon speaks to union leader and ex-Liverpool docker Len McCluskey". Liverpool Echo. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-life/liverpool-lifestyle/2009/12/18/ian-hernon-speaks-to-union-leader-and-ex-liverpool-docker-len-mccluskey-100252-25418593/. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  7. ^ Liverpool Echo - Len McCluskey voted new leader of trade union Unite
  8. ^ a b c d e f g "Len McCluskey chosen as new Unite leader". BBC News. 21 November 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11805884. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  9. ^ Waddington, Marc (25 October 2010). "City trade union stalwart Len McCluskey in running for top Unite job". Liverpool Echo. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2010/10/25/city-trade-union-stalwart-len-mccluskey-in-running-for-top-unite-job-100252-27535426/. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  10. ^ a b c d Mann, Emily (13 September 2010). "Len McCluskey: Burning desire". New Statesman. http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2010/09/union-trade-mccluskey. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  11. ^ Mulholland, Hélène (21 November 2010). "Len McCluskey becomes leader of Unite". The Observer. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/21/mccluskey-leader-unite-union. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 

External links

Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by
Derek Simpson
Tony Woodley		 General Secretary of Unite
2011 – present		 Incumbent