Gail Cartmail (born 1955) is an Assistant General Secretary (AGS) at the
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
Unite
Unite may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Unite'' (A Friend in London album), 2013 album by Danish band A Friend in London
* ''Unite'' (Kool & the Gang album), 1993
* ''Unite'' (The O.C. Supertones album), 2005
Songs ...
and also a member of the
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is a national trade union centre
A national trade union center (or national center or central) is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a country. Nearly every country in the world has a national tra ...
' (TUC) Executive Committee and
General Council General council may refer to:
In education:
* General Council (Scottish university), an advisory body to each of the ancient universities of Scotland
* General Council of the University of St Andrews, the corporate body of all graduates and senio ...
.
Career
Cartmail attended Heronswood Secondary Modern School in
Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City ( ) is a town in Hertfordshire, England, north of London. It was the second garden city in England (founded 1920) and one of the first new towns (designated 1948). It is unique in being both a garden city and a new town and ...
, having failed her
eleven plus exam
The eleven-plus (11+) is a standardized examination administered to some students in England and Northern Ireland in their last year of primary education, which governs admission to grammar schools and other secondary schools which use academic ...
. She left school with no qualifications, Cartmail began her working life as an apprentice hairdresser. Later, she began working in the publishing industry, and eventually became
Mother of the Chapel for the print union, the
National Graphical Association
The National Graphical Association (NGA) was a trade union representing typographers and related workers in the United Kingdom.
History
The union was formed in 1964 by the merger of two long-term rival unions, the Typographical Association and ...
, where she gained prominence for a campaign for
equal pay for women
Equal pay for equal work is the concept of labour rights that individuals in the same workplace be given equal pay. It is most commonly used in the context of sexual discrimination, in relation to the gender pay gap. Equal pay relates to the full ...
, and studied at the
London College of Printing
The London College of Communication is a constituent college of the University of the Arts London. It specialises in media-related subjects including advertising, animation, film, graphic design, photography and sound arts. It has approximately ...
.
In 1977, Cartmail began to work as a trade union liaison officer for the
London Borough of Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich (, , or ) is a London boroughs, London borough in southeast Greater London. The London Borough of Greenwich was formed in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. The new borough covered the former area of the Metr ...
, and ten years later became a full-time trade union official for the
Health Visitors' Association
The Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association is a Trade union and professional association for health care staff in the UK and Ireland. It is part of Unite the Union.
Its 18,500 members include health visitors, school nurses, nurs ...
. She left in 1990 to become a regional officer for the
Manufacturing, Science and Finance
Manufacturing, Science and Finance (or the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union; almost exclusively known as MSF) was a trade union in Britain. Over eighty members of Parliament (primarily members of the Labour Party) were members.
Histor ...
union, being promoted to national officer before it became part of
Amicus, in which she was the national officer for the health sector.
In 2007, Amicus became part of
Unite
Unite may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Unite'' (A Friend in London album), 2013 album by Danish band A Friend in London
* ''Unite'' (Kool & the Gang album), 1993
* ''Unite'' (The O.C. Supertones album), 2005
Songs ...
, and Cartmail was appointed as its assistant general secretary with responsibility for public services.
She contested the 2010 election to become the union's General Secretary, taking fourth place and 39,000 votes behind
Len McCluskey
Leonard David McCluskey (born 23 July 1950) is a British trade unionist. He was General Secretary of Unite the Union, the largest affiliate and a major donor to the Labour Party. As a young adult, he spent some years working in the Liverpool Do ...
who was elected. In 2016, when McCluskey stood down to contest a new election, Cartmail was chosen as acting general secretary.
Cartmail is a Commissioner at the
UK Commission for Employment and Skills
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills was a non-departmental public body that provided advice on skills and employment policy to the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations.
The UK Commission for Employment and Skills closed in Ma ...
. In her spare time, she enjoys cold-water swimming.
In 2020, Cartmail became the
President of the Trades Union Congress The President of the Trades Union Congress is a prominent but largely honorary position in British trade unionism.
History
Initially, the post of president was elected at the annual Trades Union Congress (TUC) itself, and would serve just for the d ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cartmail, Gail
1955 births
Living people
Alumni of the London College of Printing
British trade unionists
Labour Party (UK) people
Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress
Presidents of the Trades Union Congress
Unite the Union
British women trade unionists