Thomas Jackson (9 April 1925 – 6 June 2003) was a British
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 ( ...
ist and is best remembered as the
General Secretary
Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...
of the
Union of Post Office Workers
The Union of Communication Workers (UCW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom for workers in the post office and telecommunications industries.
History
The union was founded in 1919 as the Union of Post Office Workers (UPW) by the merger ...
who led 200,000 members into a
47-day strike in 1971, the first national postal strike.
Jackson was born in
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
. Aged 14 he began work for the GPO as a telegraph boy. He spent three years (1943–46) on
wartime service in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. Upon his return, he became a postman, and later a sorter, during which time he became involved in the affairs of the
Union of Post Office Workers
The Union of Communication Workers (UCW) was a trade union in the United Kingdom for workers in the post office and telecommunications industries.
History
The union was founded in 1919 as the Union of Post Office Workers (UPW) by the merger ...
. He became a member of its executive council in 1955 and in 1964, was elected national officer. In 1967, he became General Secretary, a role he held until 1982. He was instantly recognizable to the public for his luxuriant
handlebar moustache
A handlebar moustache is a moustache with particularly lengthy and upwardly curved extremities. These moustache styles are named for their resemblance to the handlebars of a bicycle. It is also known as a spaghetti moustache, because of its ste ...
.
Other positions held
*Governor,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...
(1968–73)
*Member,
Annan Committee
The Annan Committee on the future of broadcasting was established in April 1974 to discuss the United Kingdom broadcasting industry, including new technologies and their funding, the role and funding of the BBC, Independent Broadcasting Authority ...
on the Future of Broadcasting (1974–77)
*Member, court and council of
Sussex University
, mottoeng = Be Still and Know
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £14.4 million (2020)
, budget = £319.6 million (2019–20)
, chancellor = Sanjeev Bhaskar
, vice_chancellor = Sasha Roseneil
, ...
(1974–78)
*HM Government appointed director,
BP (1975–83)
*Chairman, General Council of
TUC (1978–79)
*Chairman, TUC International Committee (1978–82)
*Chairman,
Ilkley Literature Festival
The Ilkley Literature Festival is a literature festival held annually in Ilkley, Yorkshire. Inaugurated in 1973 by the poet W. H. Auden and until 1988 held every two years, the festival is the oldest and largest of its type in the north of Engl ...
(1984–87)
Jackson married Norma Burrow in 1947 and had one daughter, Kim. In 1982, he divorced Burrow and married Kathleen Tognarelli in the same year, a marriage which produced another daughter.
After retirement from trade union activities, he ran a second-hand book business, specializing in recipe books. He refused honours from
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...
and later the offer of a peerage in
James Callaghan's resignation list in 1979.
He died in
Ilkley
Ilkley is a spa town and civil parish in the City of Bradford in West Yorkshire, in Northern England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Ilkley civil parish includes the adjacent village of Ben Rhydding and is a ward within the ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
on 6 June 2003 aged 78.
References
External links
Tom Jackson: Moderate postal workers' leader whose authority never recovered from a damaging national strike(
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
, 07/06/2003)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Thomas
1925 births
2003 deaths
General Secretaries of the Union of Communication Workers
Politicians from Leeds
Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress
Presidents of the Trades Union Congress
British postmen
British booksellers
Royal Navy personnel of World War II