Three union leaders included in King's Birthday Honours

Independent

13-06-2025

Three trade union leaders have been included in the King's Birthday Honours for services to areas including education and green jobs.
Dave Ward, long-serving general secretary of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) is made a CBE for services to trade unions, and Dr Patrick Roach, who recently retired as general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union is made a CBE for services to education.
Sue Ferns, deputy general secretary of the civil service union Prospect, is made an OBE for services to green jobs and workplace transition.
Mr Ward has been general secretary of the CWU for a decade, leading the union through the privatisation of Royal Mail and recent sale of the postal giant to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.
He started work as a messenger boy at Tooting delivery office in south London before becoming a union rep, holding several positions before succeeding Billy Hayes as general secretary in 2015.
He is married with four children, supports Chelsea and is a keen blues guitarist.
He told the PA news agency: 'The New Deal for Workers campaign was founded and led by the CWU.
'At a time when society has never been more unequal the trade union movement pushing Labour to turn this campaign into a new Employment Rights Bill could not have been more important.
'This honour is recognition of our union's work in this area and for the way we stand up for postal, telecom, financial services and tech workers across the UK.
'I joined the GPO as a telegram boy in 1976 and it is a privilege to now be the general secretary of a union that campaigns for our members in and out of the workplace.
'We now need employers and the Government to go even further in rebalancing workplaces and society. We will continue to lead this.'
Dr Roach stepped down as NASUWT general secretary in April after five years.
The son of Jamaican immigrant parents, he grew up in Walsall, West Midlands, in the 1970s, and has described how he faced racism at school on a daily basis. He is married with two children.
He was a teacher of politics and sociology in further education and was a researcher and lecturer in education, social policy and equalities in higher education.
He later joined NASUWT and headed the union's education and equalities work before becoming assistant general secretary and then deputy general secretary.
He has served in a number of voluntary roles as a school governor and in supporting the provision of supplementary education for African Caribbean children.
Dr Roach became head of the union in 2020 at the start of the first national lockdown, leading union members in uncharted territory as schools and colleges, teachers and headteachers adapted to one of the most challenging post-war periods in education.
As head of the TUC's anti-racism taskforce, Dr Roach was instrumental in leading Britain's trade union movement in challenging racism and injustice at work.
He told the PA news agency: 'I am humbled and incredibly proud to be granted this honour.
'It has been my privilege to have been afforded the opportunity to devote my career to education and in the service of NASUWT members, teachers and headteachers, whose commitment, work and dedication every day continues to inspire, shape lives and make a world of difference.'
Sue Ferns, who has also been a member of the TUC General Council since 2005, grew up in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and was the first member of her family to go to university, studying industrial relations at Salford University.
After graduating in 1982, she started working for the TUC's economics department.
She joined Prospect in 1993, becoming head of research in 2002, director of communications and research in 2013, and senior deputy general secretary in 2018.
She has campaigned on issues including the gender pensions gap, workers' rights in the science, engineering and energy sectors, and clean energy.
She has taken part in several government taskforces and working groups, particularly on clean energy jobs and workforce skills.
She told the PA news agency: 'I am privileged to have spent my career in the trade union movement, determined to make a positive difference to the lives of working people.
'I'd like to thank the countless colleagues, trade union representatives and members within our movement, whose commitment to improving the lives of others has been an inspiration throughout my career.'