Frances O'Grady

Term of appointment: 1 June 2019 - 31 May 2027

Frances became general secretary of the TUC in January 2013, the first woman ever to hold this post. 

She joined the TUC as campaigns officer in 1994 and launched the Organising Academy in 1997.

Frances headed up the TUC’s organisation department in 1999, and launched unionlearn to provide training and education opportunities for a quarter of a million workers every year.

As deputy general secretary from 2003, Frances led on the environment, industrial policy, the NHS and won an agreement covering the 2012 Olympics. As general secretary, she led the TUC through the pandemic, including securing a furlough scheme. Frances was appointed as a Labour peer in 2023.