New leader for Community

Roy Rickhuss will be the general secretary of the 35,000-strong Community trade union from next January after being elected unopposed.

He is currently the union’s national officer, having been a member of the union for over 30 years and a full-time officer for the past 20.

Rickhuss will take over from Michael Leahy, who retires at the end of this year after 14 years as general secretary.

Leahy oversaw the creation of Community from the merger of the ISTC iron and steel union and the KFAT knitwear and footwear union.