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. 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 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 – )

See also

• President of the Trades Union Congress