General Council Report 2025
Maureen Louisa Barwick, who died in September 2024, worked for the trade union movement after leaving school in 1950 until her retirement in 1993. She started as an officer junior at the TGWU and in 1970 joined the TUC’s Newcastle office, working for the next 23 years as a secretary to three regional education officers.
Keith Brookman, who died in February, was general secretary of the ISTC, a predecessor union of Community, from 1993 to 1999. A principled and determined champion of the steel industry, and of working people, he served on the TUC General Council from 1992 to 1998. He started his career at Ebbw Vale steelworks, becoming divisional organiser for the ISTC in 1973 and then the union’s assistant general secretary in 1985. A lifelong trade unionist, he also served on the TUC Educational Advisory Committee for Wales and on the Trade Union Fund Managers Charitable Trust. He became a Labour peer in 1998 and was active in the all-party parliamentary group on steel.
Jane McKay was an active member of the TGWU who served on the TUC General Council in 2002–03. During her long trade union career, she played a major role in the STUC, serving on its General Council and women’s committee. She was also secretary of Glasgow Trades Council, and active in a number of campaigns, including Chile Solidarity.
Dougie Rooney, who died in April, was TUC President in 2009–10 and served on the TUC General Council from 1998 to 2010. A national officer for Unite and its predecessor unions Amicus and AEEU, with responsibility for energy and utilities, he was deeply committed to trade unionism and working people. He started his working life as an apprentice at Ferranti, becoming an AEU branch officer at 18 and subsequently a shop steward and divisional organiser with the union. He was also active in the Labour Party, chairing Scottish Labour’s standing orders committee. A proud internationalist, he attended the ITUC conference in Canada and COSATU conference in South Africa during his time as TUC president.
Alan Shearn, who died in October, worked in the TUC’s South West region promoting our work on learning and skills. As a senior union support officer from 1999 to 2014, he campaigned for high-quality apprenticeships and delivered better learning opportunities to workers across the South West. In 2013, he was seconded to Usdaw as a project worker.
David Williams, who died in March, was general secretary of Cohse, a UNISON predecessor union and served on the TUC General Council from 1983 to 1986. He became Cohse’s regional secretary for Yorkshire in 1955, subsequently being appointed national officer in 1962 and assistant general secretary in 1974, before serving as general secretary from 1983 to 1987. A staunch defender
of the NHS and its workforce, he also served as an adviser to the World Health Organisation. A passionate member and supporter of the Labour Party, he served on its national executive committee from 1981 to 1983.
George Wright, who died in June, was instrumental in the establishment of Wales TUC and served as its first general secretary from 1974 to 1984. He was a TGWU official at the British Leyland plant in Longbridge, before becoming the union’s regional secretary for Wales in 1972. In this capacity, he helped make the constitutional case for a Wales TUC as an autonomous part of the TUC. Despite opposition, his campaign was successful, culminating in his election as general secretary. He became a key figure in the broader movement for Welsh devolution, with Wales TUC demonstrating how power could be devolved successfully. George Wright himself said: “I am a firm believer that the creation of Wales TUC was the first act of devolution in Wales”. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Welsh Development Agency, attracting Ford to invest in a new plant in Bridgend.
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