New TUC chief for Yorkshire and the Humber

The TUC has a new regional secretary to cover its Yorkshire and the Humber region. Bill Adams replaces Paul Jagger, who retired at the end of October.

Bill has worked for the TUC for the last five years, most recently as education officer covering an area from the north of England to Yorkshire and the Humber. Before this Bill worked as a lecturer in law and then trade union studies in colleges in Leeds, Preston and Middlesex.

Upon leaving school, Bill turned his hand to a variety of jobs, including stints as a postman, driver, milkman and council worker. In all of his jobs, Bill has always been the workplace union rep. Fifteen years ago, Bill decided to become a mature student, studying law at the University of Central Lancashire. He graduated in 1993.

Commenting on his appointment, Bill Adams said: I’m delighted to be heading up the TUC here and look forward to working to win a better deal at work for all the region’s employees. Lots of workers in Yorkshire and the Humber belong to a union, but there are also many others who don’t. I want to spend the next few years working with all our member unions to try to find ways of selling the benefits of union membership to those workers who’ve yet to sign up.

One of our priorities will be to do all we can to improve the skill levels of workers throughout the region, helping companies in Yorkshire and the Humber develop the kind of high-skilled workforce that can help bring business to the region from customers across the world.

I also want to see unions in the region at the forefront of efforts to bring better cohesion and understanding between the many different communities who have made Yorkshire and the Humber their home. Elements of the extreme right must not be allowed to exploit any unease and distrust that has developed between different ethnic groups since the terrorist attacks of July.

Cliff Williams, Regional Chair of Yorkshire and the Humber TUC said: I look forward to working with Bill. His appointment has been welcomed in the region, and the affiliated unions look forward to working with the TUC on a wide range of issues affecting working people in the region.