News

The UNI Global Union World Executive Board (UNI WEB), meeting at UNI head office in Nyon, has given its unanimous backing for UNI Deputy General Secretary Christy Hoffman to become the next UNI General Secretary.

The UNI WEB’s recommendation will be put to the vote at the UNI World Congress in Liverpool in June 2018 after the current General Secretary, Philip Jennings, steps down.

The President of UNI Global Union, Ann Selin, said, “I am delighted to announce that the UNI Global Union World Executive Board has endorsed UNI Deputy GS, Christy Hoffman, as the next General Secretary of UNI Global Union. Christy has our total support because she is the right person to take UNI forward and get the job done."

Jennings said, “I will be proud to hand over the reins to Christy in Liverpool. Christy  has my total admiration and I know she is the right choice for this organisation. Since she arrived at UNI as Deputy GS, some seven years ago, she has become the leading driver of  our Breaking Through strategy in terms of campaigning and organising. Christy is an inspiring leader who has all the skills and experience, honed first with the US labour movement and then at UNI, to succeed in this demanding role. I am quite certain, she will be a marvellous leader.”

Hoffman said, “ Philip has been a visionary GS since UNI was inaugurated in 2000 and I would be thrilled to take on all the challenges of this important role and continue to develop the organisation as an innovator of union organising and campaigning. UNI is always on the front-foot in the fight for workers’ rights and it is now time to take it to the next level.”

Christy Hoffman started her trade union work on the shop floor of a jet engine factory where she became a leader in the Machinists union.  She later represented the Mineworkers, Teamsters and SEIU in the US.  She has had many accomplishments in her trade union career, including the negotiation of the Bangladesh Accord and its successor, many global framework agreements with leading multinationals and successful organising campaigns around the world.