Frances O'Grady

Frances O'Grady

TUC General Secretary 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
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 (1959-11-09) 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]

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] Her father was a shop steward at the Leyland car plant in Cowley.[1] 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, in line 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. 1 2 3 Moylan, John (10 July 2012). "Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  2. 1 2 Bolderson, Claire (7 September 2012). "Profile: Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. ↑ "Frances O'Grady on 'Trade Unions: delivering justice at work and in society'", indcatholicnews.com; accessed 28 July 2014.
  4. ↑ Mulholland, Hélène (6 September 2006). "The history woman". The Guardian (Guardian Media Group). Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Biographical details: Frances O'Grady". Trades Union Congress. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  6. ↑ Dan Milmo, "TUC scraps post of Deputy General Secretary after 'graduates only' row", The Guardian, 9 December 2012.
  7. ↑ BBC Radio 4, Woman's Hour Power list
  8. ↑ People's Assembly opening letter, theguardian.com, 5 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Frances O'Grady, "Greek elections: Could the Greeks bring us gifts this Sunday?", 20 January 2015.

External links

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Trade union offices
Preceded by
Brendan Barber		 Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
2003–2012 		Position abolished
Preceded by
Brendan Barber		 General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
2013–present 		Incumbent
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