Biographical details

Frances O’Grady
Deputy General Secretary

Frances became TUC Deputy General Secretary in January 2003, the first woman ever to hold this post. Frances has lead responsibility for a wide range of key areas of policy development across the TUC's work including trade union recruitment and organisation, inter-union relations and TUC services to members.

Prior to this, Frances headed up the TUC's Organisation and Services Department (OSD) that covered a range of policy areas at the heart of union concerns, including: employment rights, learning and skills, health and safety, industrial relations issues and the TUC's New Unionism project. She has also been responsible for the TUC's regional machinery, our education programme for workplace union reps and the TUC national network of Learning Services projects that aims to boost productivity, skills and learning opportunities at work.

Frances was the union nominated member of the Local Government Pay Commission and the Royal Mail's National Partnership Board. She sits on the board of the think tank, IPPR, and is a member of the UK Skills Board and the National Employment Panel. Frances was a member of the government's Modern Apprenticeship Advisory Committee chaired by John Cassells and is now a member of the MA Taskforce. Frances has recently been appointed to the LSC National Council.

Before taking up her post as Head of OSD in 1998, Frances was director of the TUC New Unionism project that launched the Organising Academy and campaigns to rebuild and revitalise trade union membership.

Previously, Frances worked as the TUC Campaigns Officer coordinating the TUC-wide campaign for new rights for part-time workers, the No Sweat campaign on homeworking and the drive to end low pay. Before joining the TUC in 1994, Frances worked for the Transport and General Workers Union on social justice and equality issues.

Throughout her working life Frances has been a committed trade unionist and has been active in a range of women's and community campaigns. She has two children and lives in North London.