Michael James Leahy

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(born 7 January 1949) was the General Secretary of the British Trade Union Community. Leahy was General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) from 1999 until it merged with the National Union of Knitwear, Footwear & Apparel Trades (KFAT) in 2004 to form Community. He served as General Secretary until 2013.

Early life

Leahy was born in

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

, Wales, in 1949. He attended Twmpath Secondary Modern School. Michael joined the ISTC in 1965 upon starting work as a Chargehand at Panteg Steel Works, where he was employed from 1965 to 1977. He is married with two children.

Union career

Leahy was employed as an organiser from 1977 to 1986, then as a senior organiser from 1986 to 1992. He was elected Assistant General Secretary of ISTC in 1993 and General Secretary in 1999. Leahy was President of the iron, steel and nonferrous metals sector of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and sat on the executive of

European Metalworkers' Federation The European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF), founded in 1971, is a federation of 68 metalworkers' unions from 31 countries, representing a combined total of 6.5 million affiliates. It is based in Brussels, Belgium, the general secretary is Ulric ...

(EMF-FEM). He was a member of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) executive committee, and was the

President of the TUC 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 ...

for 2011.New TUC President elected in Manchester
TUC, 19 September 2010

Middle East Peace Process

Leahy is a co-founder of the

Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine (TULIP) was an organisation of unions located in various countries around the world. Its stated main goal was to promote cooperation and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. It supported a two- ...

References

Living people General Secretaries of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation British trade union leaders People from Pontypool 1949 births Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress Presidents of the General Federation of Trade Unions (UK) Presidents of the Trades Union Congress Officers of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-trade-unionist-bio-stub