Thomas Jackson (trade unionist)
{{Short description|British trade unionist}}
{{Other people|Thomas Jackson}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
Thomas Jackson (9 April 1925 – 6 June 2003) was a British trade unionist and is best remembered as the General Secretary of the Union of Post Office Workers who led 200,000 members into a 47-day strike in 1971, the first national postal strike.
Jackson was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Aged 14 he began work for the GPO as a telegraph boy. He spent three years (1943–46) on wartime service in the Royal Navy. Upon his return, he became a postman, and later a sorter, during which time he became involved in the affairs of the Union of Post Office Workers. He became a member of its executive council in 1955 and in 1964, was elected national officer. In 1967, he became General Secretary, a role he held until 1982. He was instantly recognizable to the public for his luxuriant handlebar moustache.
Other positions held
- Governor, BBC (1968–73)
- Member, Annan Committee on the Future of Broadcasting (1974–77)
- Member, court and council of Sussex University (1974–78)
- HM Government appointed director, BP (1975–83)
- Chairman, General Council of TUC (1978–79)
- Chairman, TUC International Committee (1978–82)
- Chairman, Ilkley Literature Festival (1984–87)
Jackson married Norma Burrow in 1947 and had one daughter, Kim. In 1982, he divorced Burrow and married Kathleen Tognarelli in the same year, a marriage which produced another daughter.
After retirement from trade union activities, he ran a second-hand book business, specializing in recipe books. He refused honours from Harold Wilson and later the offer of a peerage in James Callaghan's resignation list in 1979.{{Cite ODNB|id=90043|title=Thomas Jackson (1925–2003)}}
He died in Ilkley, West Yorkshire on 6 June 2003 aged 78.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.theguardian.com/obituaries/story/0,3604,972579,00.html Tom Jackson: Moderate postal workers' leader whose authority never recovered from a damaging national strike] (The Guardian, 07/06/2003)
{{S-start}}
{{S-npo|union}}
{{Succession box|title=General Secretary of the Union of Communication Workers|years=1967-82|before=Ron Smith|after=Alan Tuffin}}
{{Succession box|title=President of the Trades Union Congress|years=1979|before=David Basnett|after=Terry Parry}}
{{succession box|title=Trades Union Congress representative to the AFL-CIO|years=1981|before=Alfred Allen|after=Geoffrey Drain}}
{{S-end}}
{{Portal|Organized labour}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Thomas}}
Category:General secretaries of the Union of Communication Workers
Category:Politicians from Leeds
Category:Members of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress