Leif Anthony Mills CBE (25 March 1936 – 17 December 2020) was a British trade unionist.
Mills was educated at Kingston Grammar School and went on to study at Balliol College, Oxford before undertaking national service in the Royal Military Police.[1] He then joined the National Union of Bank Employees (later renamed the Banking Insurance and Finance Union - BIFU), becoming Assistant General Secretary in 1962, then Deputy General Secretary in 1968, and finally General Secretary in 1972, serving until 1996.[2]
Mills stood unsuccessfully for the Labour Party in Salisbury at the 1964 general election, and again in a 1965 by-election. Although his first speech to the Trades Union Congress was followed by BIFU's expulsion, for registering under the Industrial Relations Act, he subsequently held a number of TUC posts, including that of President in 1994/5.[1] He also served on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, and more recently with the Covent Garden Market Authority.[2]
In 1999, Mills published a biography of Frank Wild, while his Men of Ice appeared in 2008.[2]
He was appointed CBE in the 1995 Birthday Honours.
He died on 17 December 2020 at the age of 84,[3] and was an active member and benefactor of Weybridge Rowing Club, before which Oxford University Boat Club.[4] He also subscribed to the Oxford and Cambridge Club.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Barrie Clement, "Balliol man climbs to top of union tree", The Independent, 10 September 1994
- ^ a b c Leif Mills, Esq, CBE Authorised Biography Archived 2012-03-23 at the Wayback Machine, Debretts
- ^ Mills
- ^ a b "Mills, Leif Anthony", (25 March 1936 – 17 Dec. 2020), General Secretary, Banking, Insurance and Finance Union (formerly National Union of Bank Employees), 1972–96; Chairman, Covent Garden Market Authority, 1998–2005." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2007; Accessed 4 Mar. 2022. https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540891.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-27587.
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