Journalists to elect new leader

Billy Hayes will serve a third term at the helm of the CWU communications union after being re-elected unopposed.

However, another general secretary, Jeremy Dear of the National Union of Journalists, will not stand for a third term.

Hayes has been general secretary of the 215,000-strong CWU since 2001, when he was the left-leaning victor in a two-way election.

On being re-elected last month he said he would “continue to develop and integrate the best traditions of the union movement, ensuring that our organisation is strong and confident, equal opportunities remain central and we retain an effective position within the TUC and Labour Party”.

Jeremy Dear, who became the youngest ever leader of the NUJ journalists’ union in 2001 at the age of 34, will stand down later this year. He was part of a wave of left-wing union leaders who took office at that time.

He had previously led one of the union’s first and longest strikes against de-recognition of the union — the 11-month dispute at the Essex Chronicle. Dear led the NUJ’s militant fight to win back recognition at many workplaces, as well as battling against low pay in the industry.

He was also the first NUJ general secretary to be elected to the TUC General Council, in 2002.

TUC deputy general secretary Frances O’Grady said his campaign had made the journalists’ union “a force to be reckoned with once more”.