Management board
The management board is comprised of the General Secretary, The deputy General Secretary, the national officers, the director of finance and the manager of personnel.
The General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary are elected by all working members for five year terms.
The Current General Secretary is Michael J. Leahy, OBE.
Born in Pontypool, South Wales, Married with two sons, Michael began his career as the youngest branch representative at the age of 16 and Sheet Trade Board representative at 17 years of age at the Panteg Works, South Wales. Michael, then started his full-time career as an Organiser in 1977, progressing to Senior Organiser, 1992-1993; Assistant General Secretary, 1993-1998; General Secretary Elect 1998-1999; General Secretary,1999 to date.
Michael’s main responsibilities are managing the Union and its employees, together with developing and implementing the strategic plans for the union, legal services & communications. Michael has been a Labour Party member since 1966 and is dedicated to working with the Government on new legislations and initiatives to the benefit of our members and communities as a whole.
Michael is a Member of the General Council and Executive Member of the TUC and Executive Member of the GFTU and EMF. Michael is also President of the Steel and Non-Ferrous, IMF British Section and Chairman of the National Trades Union Steel Co-ordinating Committee. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the Central Arbitration Committee, Materials UK Board, British Steel Enterprise Board and President of The Welsh Trust for Prevention of Abuse.
Interests : Golf and of course, being a Welsh Man from ‘the Valleys’ : Rugby
The Current Deputy General Secretary is Peter Crowe
Peter has been a full time official since 1979. He was active in the textile and garment industries with KFAT before it chose to merge with the ISTC.
Since then, Peter has served as the Deputy General Secretary.
Amongst the Deputy General Secretaries many responsibilities are managing the research department, the properties/ facilities and IT department, the events and Admin department and the regional directors.
National Officer Joe Mann MBE
Joe Mann is responsible for developing the union’s political strategy, managing the equalities agenda and the NLBD, NUDAGO and BUSWE.
Joe Mann also negotiates mergers, manages relationships with outside organisations and manages the benefits offered by Community.
Joe is originally from an engineering background and was the General Secretary of the NLBD prior to its merger with the ISTC in 2000.
National Officer Roy Rickhuss
Roy first joined the ISTC in 1979 while working in a Steel Tube rolling Mill in Wolverhampton.
A committed union member, Roy left the Steel plant in 1993 to become a full time officer with the ISTC.
Roy has remained with the union ever since and is now a National Officer.
Roy Rickhuss is responsible for the Organising department, Health and Safety, Communitas and the Member Service Centre.
Director of Finance Sarah Wold
Sarah has been with Community for over ten years. Joining in 1997 as Assistant Finance Officer, Sarah has progressed to Director Of Finance.
Sarah joined Centuryan Security Ltd in 1986, and remained with them until joining Community.
Sarah can often be found sweating over a Sudoku puzzle.
Sarah Wold manages union funds and polices department budgets.
Personnel and Board Administrations Manager Carol Hammond
Carol has been with Community for four years now, and is looking to stay for the long haul.
Carol manages personnel for the union. Carol also manages the training needs of union employees, manages the administration of the management board and is the Personal Assistant to the General Secretary.