º£½ÇÊÓƵ

Liz Blackshaw has been appointed as the new regional secretary for the Northern TUC.

Ms Blackshaw will become the TUC’s senior officer in the North East and Cumbria after taking over from Beth Farhat, who has joined the National Education Union.

Currently director of global campaigns at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, she is re-joining the TUC, where she was organising academy director, as well as having held a number of union roles in the North East.

She said: “It’s great to be back at the TUC at this crucial time. I am determined to do all I can to support working people in this region as we emerge from the pandemic.

“We have an immediate and urgent need to protect jobs and livelihoods and to ensure ministers deliver on their promises to build back better.

“I look forward to working closely with unions and employers to ensure the North East is at the forefront of advances in our green economy and big infrastructure projects like the Dogger Bank offshore development.

“I will relentlessly make the case for high-quality jobs and access to training for all our communities. And I will be demanding a strong voice for working people and their families in all regional developments, however big or small.”

Commenting on the appointment, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “‘We’re delighted to welcome Liz back to the TUC. She has a wealth of experience in leading organising campaigns in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ and across the globe.