Paul Nowak became TUC General Secretary in January 2023.

He has been an active trade unionist and campaigner all his working life and first joined a union at age seventeen. Before becoming a trade union official, Paul had always been employed on temporary and agency contracts, so understands the insecurity of never having a permanent contract.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul led union efforts to improve the government’s safe working guidance, ensuring millions of workers had a safer work environment. He also supported the securing of furlough and led campaigns for sectoral support in the cultural industries, aviation and transport.

Paul has represented the TUC on the ACAS Council, Strategic Trade Advisory Group, Green Jobs Taskforce and TUUT which provides charitable grants to union-supported organisations. Paul is the President of Unity Trust Bank.

Paul is married to Vicky. They have three grown-up children and live on the Wirral, Merseyside. Paul is of mixed heritage and the grandson of immigrants: his grandfathers came to the UK during the Second World War from Poland and China respectively, before settling and raising families in Liverpool.

He is a lifelong Everton fan, and in his spare time can either be found spending time with family, playing the guitar with friends, or exploring Britain’s canals.