Trade Union Titan Rodney Bickerstaffe Dies Aged 72
Rodney Kevan Bickerstaffe, former general secretary of Unison and towering figure in the UK’s trade union movement, has died aged 72, his union confirmed today.
Union Legend and Tireless Champion
Bickerstaffe led the public sector union NUPE before it merged into Unison, where he served as general secretary from 1996 to 2001. He also held the prestigious role of president of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and later led the National Pensioners Convention (NPC) for four years from 2001.
Tributes Pour In from Labour and Union Leaders
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hailed Bickerstaffe as a “warm, decent and principled” man and described him as a “great friend.”
Unison general secretary Christina McAnea called him “the very best of us” and “a true giant of our movement.” She said:
“Rodney was a dedicated champion of all the union members he proudly represented throughout his career. He was at his best when fighting for the causes he believed in. Our movement has lost one of the greatest campaigners and orators of his generation.”
Friend, Comrade, and Advocate for Older People
Jan Shortt, general secretary of the NPC, praised Bickerstaffe as “a passionate advocate for Britain’s older people” who “was extremely funny and filled the room with his enthusiasm for life.”
Rodney Bickerstaffe’s legacy as a fearless campaigner and beloved leader has left an indelible mark on the British labour movement and countless lives.
