Reacting to the death of Tom Sawyer, who was deputy general secretary of the National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) before it merged to form UNISON, general secretary Christina McAnea said:
“This is an extremely sad moment. Tom served the Labour and trade union movements for over 50 years and was pivotal in the creation of UNISON in 1993.
“Along with Colm O’Kane and Dave Prentis, the deputy general secretaries of the Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) and the National Association of Local Government Officers (NALGO), Tom helped prepare solid foundations for UNISON.
“He was integral in building support across all three unions and drafting the rule book that would enshrine the vision of a modern progressive union, one where every member mattered.
“Tom’s union career began in 1971 when he began working for NUPE, becoming its northern regional officer before being appointed as the union’s deputy general secretary in 1981. Having overseen the creation of UNISON, Tom moved to the Labour Party in 1994 to serve as its general secretary.
“Regarded as a moderniser and a born organiser, Tom set about transforming the party and in 1997 helped lead it to a historic landslide victory. In 1998, Tom stood down as general secretary, becoming a life peer and serving as Baron Sawyer of Darlington until recently.
“Tom made a huge contribution to the labour movement, which is all the richer for his involvement. He did so much for NUPE and then UNISON members and will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his wife Liz and his family.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contact:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
The article Tom Sawyer made a huge contribution to the union movement, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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