Frances O'Grady
Frances O'Grady
Frances Lorraine O'Gradyis the General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress, the first woman to hold that position...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionActivist
Date of Birth9 November 1959
economic-models profound challenges
The TUC's new slogan 'a future that works' sets a profound challenge. Austerity and rapid deficit reduction is failing in its own terms, but even at its best it is short-sighted, muddle-through politics with no vision of a new economic model.
country data records
The UK has a poor investment record. According to IMF data, we have come seventh out of the top seven industrialised countries since 1999.
mother thinking feet
I think being a mother helps keep your feet on the ground. There's very little dignity in parenthood. It's a great leveller.
kids independent film
I like independent films... European films. I do go and see popular films as well because my kids force me.
strong jobs impact
Voting to go on strike is not a decision working people take lightly and is always accompanied by a strong sense of injustice at work. The impact of losing a day's pay is significant, not least for those in the lowest paid jobs who are already on the tightest budgets.
powerful opportunity austerity
In the U.S. the powerful critics of austerity such as Paul Krugman and Robert Reich rightly identify the decline of 'labor' as a problem, and renewing trade unionism part of the solution. Our opportunity is to make the same case in the UK.
unions joining individual
I came from a family where joining a union was the expected thing to do. I've always believed that the relationship between an employer and an individual worker is fundamentally unequal.
thinking ideas people
Ordinary people who have lots of good ideas want more than a suggestion box, and they need a union to represent that thinking.
feminist problem no-problem
I am a feminist and I have no problems being called that.
ideas space giving
I cherish the creation of public space and services, especially health, housing and the comprehensive education system which dared to give so many of us ideas 'above our station.'
believe unique possibility-of-change
RFK was a compelling figure because he was willing to challenge his audiences, and in turn connect with them in a unique way. Kennedy showed that our values define us and can inspire others to believe in the possibility of change and a better society.
teenager hero eye
My first hero, as a teenager, was James Connolly. I remember discovering that he was a feminist, and that was an eye-opener, coming from a man of such poverty.
government growth stripes
Governments of all stripes want to deliver growth and rebalance their economies now that they have learned the hard way that, left to their own devices, markets pick expensive banking losers.
cutting mps each-day
Each day more coalition MPs in seats outside the South East come out against George Osborne's regional pay cut plans, and Vince Cable now claims they are dead.