Billy Hayes

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Biographical Information

"Billy Hayes is the general secretary (GS) of the Communication Workers Union (CWU)...Born in Liverpool, Billy became an apprentice fitter welder for a number of years after leaving school and also worked at John West Foods. After taking a six-month break hitchhiking around Europe he joined the Post Office as a postman in 1974 and became a member of the union on his first day.

"As a lay activist for 18 years, Billy took on several different duties within the Liverpool Amal Branch - including branch organiser, unit representative, area representative and branch secretary. In 1992 he was elected as a divisional representative and served on the executive council. Four months later Billy was elected as assistant secretary for the outdoor section of the postal department, responsible for delivery staff, cleaners and cash carrying.

"In 2001, after nine years in the role of assistant secretary, Billy was elected general secretary of the CWU. In 2011, the same year that he was re-elected for a third five-year term as general secretary, Billy was also elected as world president of post and logistics for UNI Global, the international trade union organisation. Billy also serves as vice chair of Trade Union Liaison Organisation (TULO) and vice chair of the National Policy Forum of the Labour Party. Billy is a member of the TUC Executive Committee, TUC General Council and is spokesperson for the TUC on Europe."

CWU Record: CDO 1 - 3 Committee Member 1978 - 88. Vi ce Chair 1978 - 79. CDO 1 - 3 Assistance Secretary 1981 - 84. Delegat e to Postmen/Women’s Joint Committee 1978 - 88. PJC Assistant Secretary (Outdoor) 1980 - 84. Secretary PJC 1984 - 88. Branch Committee Member 1978 - 92. Finance and General Purposes Committee Member 1978 - 92. UPW Delegate to TUC Youth Conference 1979. Branch Editor 1983 - 88. Branch Secretary 1988 - 92. Delegate UCW D istrict Council North West No.4/ No.1 – 1984 - 91. Official Branch Visitor to UCW Conference 1980. Branch Delegate UCW Conference 1984 - 92. Liverp ool Trades Council Delegate 1977 - 92; held positions o n TC as Executive Committee member. Chairman Youth Committee; Vice President 1978 - 79. CWU Delegate to Trades Union Congress 1997. UCW Royal Mail Divisional Representative (May - October 1992). UCW Execu tive Council Lay Member (May - October 1992). Elect ed UCW Assistant Secretary October 1992. Re - elected March 1997. El ected General S ecretary July 2001. Re - elected 2006. Re - elected 2011. TUC General Council Member 2002 to date. TUC Executive Committee 2003 to date. TUC Skills Advocate 2005 to date. Fi rst Chair of Unionlearn Board. TUC European Spokesman 2005 to date. UNI Conference delegate 2000, 2001, 2005. UNI European and World Executive Board 2004 to date. UNI Management Board 2004 to date. Honorary member Liverpool Amal. Other relevant servi ce to the trade union and Labour movement: Member of Mitcham and Morden Labour Party, Figges Marsh Wa rd. Former member of Liverpool Walton Labour Party, Fazakerley Ward. Held positions of General Management Committee Member, Vice - Chair of Ward, Secretary Young Socialist, District Party Delegate – Auditor Liverpool Postal Employees Workplace Branch. UCW Delegate North West Labour Party Conference 1990 and 1992. Member Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform. Supporter of Broad Left. UCW Delegate to Labour Party Conference 1986 - 91. CWU Delegate Labour Party 1992, 1996, 1997, 2001 – date. National Policy Forum delegate, NPF Vice Chair. Me mber of Greenpeace. Member Unite Against Fascism. Vice - Chair National TULO. Trustee TUC. Board member Unity Trust Bank. World President UNI Postal and Logistics." [1]

Affiliations

• Management Committee, Centre for Labour and Social Studies