General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress

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. They also serve 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 Potter (1869–1872)
• George Odger (1872–1873)
• George Howell (1873–1876)
• Henry Broadhurst (1876–1885)
• George Shipton (1885–1886)
• Henry Broadhurst (1886–1890)
• Charles Fenwick (1890–1894)
• Sam Woods (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 Bramley (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 Tewson (21 October 1946 – 6 September 1960)
• George Woodcock (6 September 1960 – 26 February 1969)
• Vic Feather (Acting General Secretary from 26 February 1969 – 2 September 1969) (2 September 1969 – 7 September 1973)
• Len Murray (7 September 1973 – 7 September 1984)
• Norman Willis (7 September 1984 – 10 September 1993)
• John Monks (10 September 1993 – 29 May 2003)
• Brendan Barber (29 May 2003 – 31 December 2012)
• Frances O'Grady (1 January 2013 – )

Deputy General Secretaries of the TUC

1977: Norman Willis

1985: Kenneth Graham

1987: John Monks

1993: Brendan Barber

2003: Frances O'Grady

2013: Post vacant^[1]

2016: Paul Nowak^[2]

Assistant General Secretaries of the TUC

1917: Fred Bramley

1924: Walter Citrine

1926: Alec Firth

1931: Vincent Tewson

1947: George Woodcock

1960: Vic Feather

1969: Len Murray

1973: Norman Willis

1978: Kenneth Graham and David Lea

1985: David Lea

1999: Post vacant

2003: Kay Carberry

2013: Kay Carberry and Paul Nowak

2016: Post vacant^[2]

See also

• President of the Trades Union Congress

References

1. Dan Milmo, "TUC scraps post of deputy general secretary after 'graduates only' row", The Guardian, 9 December 2012
2. Trades Union Congress, "Paul Nowak appointed TUC Deputy General Secretary", 25 February 2016