Frances O'Grady
| Frances O'Grady | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Frances O'Grady's keynote speech to TUC Congress 2013 in Bournemouth. Monday 9 September 2013 | |
| General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Brendan Barber |
| Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress | |
| In office January 2003 – January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Brendan Barber |
| Succeeded by | position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 November 1959 Oxford, England |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester Middlesex Polytechnic |
Frances Lorraine O'Grady (born 9 November 1959) is the General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC).[1][2] Her father was a shop steward at the Leyland car plant in Cowley.[1]
Early life and family
O'Grady was born in Oxford,[1] one of five siblings in a family of Irish descent, and was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith.[3] She was educated at Milham Ford School, a grammar school which became comprehensive during her time there. At Manchester University, she earned a BA Hons in politics and modern history.[4] She received a Diploma in Industrial Relations and Trade Union Studies at Middlesex Polytechnic.[2]
Career
O'Grady worked for the Transport and General Workers' Union, where she opposed the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board, and campaigned for a minimum wage. She became TUC Campaigns Secretary in 1994, founded the TUC Organising Academy in 1997, became head of the TUC's organisation department in 1999, and was then elected as Deputy General Secretary in 2003.[5] She was the last person to hold that position before it was abolished in 2012.[6]
In February 2013 she was assessed as the 11th most powerful woman in Britain by Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[7] In 2013, inline with the TUC, she was among those who gave their support to the People's Assembly in a letter published by The Guardian newspaper.[8]
In January 2015 she declared her support for the left-wing, anti-austerity Syriza party in Greece and condemned "powerful forces mobilising against the interests of the Greek people."[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Moylan, John (10 July 2012). "Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bolderson, Claire (7 September 2012). "Profile: Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
- ↑ "Frances O'Grady on 'Trade Unions: delivering justice at work and in society'", indcatholicnews.com; accessed 28 July 2014.
- ↑ Mulholland, Hélène (6 September 2006). "The history woman". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 24 September 2012.
- ↑ "Biographical details: Frances O'Grady". Trades Union Congress. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
- ↑ Dan Milmo, "TUC scraps post of Deputy General Secretary after 'graduates only' row", The Guardian, 9 December 2012.
- ↑ BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour Power list
- ↑ People's Assembly opening letter, theguardian.com, 5 February 2013.
- ↑ Frances O'Grady, "Greek elections: Could the Greeks bring us gifts this Sunday?", 20 January 2015.
External links
- Official TUC page on Frances O'Grady
- @francesogrady official Twitter account
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brendan Barber |
Deputy General Secretary of the TUC 2003–2012 |
Succeeded by Position abolished |
| Preceded by Brendan Barber |
General Secretary of the TUC 2013– |
Succeeded by Incumbent |