Michael J. Leahy

Michael J. Leahy OBE (7 January 1949) is the General Secretary of the British Trade Union Community. Leahy was General Secretary of the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation (ISTC) from 1999 until it merged with the National Union of Knitwear, Footwear & Apparel Trades (KFAT) in 2004 to form Community.

Leahy was born in Pontypool, Wales, in 1949. He attended Twmpath Secondary Modern School. Michael joined the ISTC in 1965 upon starting work as a Chargehand at Panteg Steel Works, where he was employed from 1965 to 1977.

He is married with two children.

Leahy was employed as an organiser from 1977 to 1986, then as a senior organiser from 1986 to 1992. He was elected Assistant General Secretary of ISTC in 1993 and General Secretary in 1999.

Leahy is President of the iron, steel and nonferrous metals sector of the International Metalworkers' Federation (IMF) and sits on the executive of European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF-FEM). He also is a member of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) executive committee, and is the President of the TUC for 2011.

Leahy is a co-founder of the Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine.

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