Diana Holland is a British

trade unionist 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 (s ...

who is the Assistant General Secretary 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 the

Treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury ...

of the Labour Party. Holland was awarded the OBE in the

2001 New Year Honours The 2001 New Year Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British honours system, where New Year's Day, 1 January, is marked in several Commonwealth countries by appointing new members of orders of chivalry and recipient ...

, for "services to Equal Opportunities in Employment".

Trade union career

In 2006, Holland served as Chair of the International Transport Workers' Federation women's committee, and was also national organiser for women, race and equalities for the

Transport and General Workers' Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland – where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU) to differentiate its ...

(TGWU). The TGWU subsequently merged into

, and Holland became its Assistant General Secretary, in which post she took a leading role in negotiations around the 2012 fuel tanker drivers' dispute. She has also served as President of the

Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions The Confederation of Shipbuilding and Engineering Unions (CSEU), often known as the Confed is a trade union confederation in the United Kingdom. History The confederation was founded in December 1890 as the Federation of Engineering and Shipbuil ...

Labour Party

As of July 2010, Holland has been a Labour Party member for over 25 years with 16 years 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 ...

, the longest continuously elected NEC member. She is a member of

Islington North Islington North () is a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 1983 by Jeremy Corbyn. He served as Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition from 2015 to 2020. Cor ...

CLP. Holland was elected as

Labour Party Treasurer The Treasurer of the Labour Party is a position on the National Executive Committee of the British Labour Party. Although a post with little power, in the past, it was often hotly contested by people who later became big names in British politics ...

in September 2010, defeating

John Prescott John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott (born 31 May 1938) is a British politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and as First Secretary of State from 2001 to 2007. A member of the Labour Party, he w ...

. Holland won 68.96% of the total vote, with 19.02% out of 50% in the individual members section of the electoral college and 49.93% out of 50% in the trade union affiliates section.

Personal life

She is married to

Joe Irvin Joseph David Irvin is an ex-charity leader who until 2020 was the chief executive of Living Streets, the UK charity that campaigns for pedestrians. He started his career as policy officer for the Trades Union Congress before moving onto variou ...

, former Political Secretary (head of the No 10 Political Office) to Prime Minister

Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony B ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holland, Diana Year of birth missing (living people) Living people British trade unionists Labour Party (UK) officials Chairs of the Labour Party (UK) Officers of the Order of the British Empire Women trade unionists