Paddy Lillis is a

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 ...

leader from

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

Early life

Worked as a heavy goods vehicle driver at Abbey Meat Packers in

Newtownabbey Newtownabbey ( ) is a large settlement in North Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course. It surrounds Carnmoney Hill, and was formed from the merging of severa ...

in the early 1980s, when he joined the

Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) is a trade union in the United Kingdom, consisting of around 360,000 members. Usdaw members work in a variety of occupations and industries including: shopworkers, factory and warehouse wo ...

(USDAW). In 1989, he became a full-time area organiser for the union, then in 1999 was appointed as its divisional officer for South Wales and Western England. Elected deputy general secretary of Usdaw in 2004. He served on the

National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...

of the Labour Party and was Chair of the Labour Party in 2015/2016. Elected unopposed as general secretary of Usdaw in November 2017 and took up the position in July 2018

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lillis, Paddy Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Chairs of the Labour Party (UK) General Secretaries of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers British trade union leaders People from Newtownabbey Trade unionists from Northern Ireland