Rozanne Foyer (born November 1972) is a Scottish trade unionist who has served as the General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) since 2020; the first woman to hold the post.

Roz Foyer
General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress
Assumed office
3 February 2020
Preceded byGrahame Smith
Personal details
Born
Rozanne Foyer

November 1972
Glasgow, Scotland
Spouse
Simon Macfarlane
(m. 2002)
Children2

Early life edit

Foyer grew up in Glasgow as an only child, where she helped out on her parents' market stall in the Barras.[1] She left school after her Highers, and worked in the VAT office, but left after being sexually harassed and unsure of her rights, an experience which inspired her to join a union.[2]

Career edit

Foyer worked for the Benefits Agency, where she led a successful campaign against privatisation. This led the Graphical, Paper and Media Union to take her on full-time as a trainee organiser, following which she became an assistant secretary at the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC). Her next appointment was as a national officer for the Transport and General Workers' Union, and after it became part of Unite, she worked in its national organising department.[3][4]

Foyer served on the general council of the STUC for many years, served a term as chair of the STUC's youth committee. In 2020, she was appointed as General Secretary of the STUC, the first woman to hold the post.[3][4]

In March 2023, it was announced that Foyer would be joining Scottish newspaper The National as a regular columnist.[5]

Personal life edit

Foyer has been married to Simon Macfarlane, also a trade unionist, since 2002.[6] They have two daughters.[2]

References edit

  1. ^ Meighan, Craig (4 December 2022). "10 things that changed my life with STUC general secretary Roz Foyer". The National. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b Burnside, Anna (3 February 2020). "Roz Foyer is bringing a fresh feminist face to Scotland's trade union movement". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b "STUC announces appointment of new General Secretary". STUC. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b Lazenby, Peter (2 February 2020). "STUC appoints first female leader for first time in its 123-year history". Morning Star. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  5. ^ The National (10 March 2023). "The STUC's Roz Foyer joins The National as a regular columnist". The National.
  6. ^ Marriage certificate of Rozanne Foyer and Simon David Macfarlane, 2002, 619 / 475 Glasgow - National Records of Scotland
Trade union offices
Preceded by General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress
2020–present
Incumbent