Billy Hayes - GS
After working at several other jobs - a welder and then in John West Food - Billy took a six-month break "doing a Jack Kerouac" around Europe, before starting work for Royal Mail in 1974 in Liverpool.
Billy joined the union on the first day at work as a postman
Billy took on several different duties within Liverpool Amal Branch - including branch organiser, unit and area rep and branch secretary. He was elected CWU divisional representative in May 1992. He was elected onto the CWU national executive council in 1992.
After four months in that role, Billy successfully stood for election as assistant secretary for the outdoor department representing delivery staff, cleaners and other groups and, in 2001 he was elected general secretary of the union.
As well as continuing the fight to defend and advance CWU members' terms and conditions of employment, Billy describes the biggest challenges ahead as maintaining and growing the union in all sectors in which we organise.
Amongst his responsibilities Billy represents the union externally in its dealings with the Government, TUC and Labour Party and at international level with the Union Network International (UNI).
For further information on Billy, please see his web log here: http://www.billyhayes.co.uk/
