23 Frances O'Grady Quotes for You to Enjoy

Frances O'Grady

British Activist

Born: Nov 9, 1959

Day Government People Will Women Work

Washing dishes as a 17-year-old in an Oxford college and seeing the privileged lifestyles of the undergraduates there convinced me that a system that allowed luxury for the few at the expense of the many needed to be challenged. Frances O'Grady

Me Luxury College Few System Seeing Lifestyles Allowed Privileged Expense Oxford Dishes Convinced Many Washing Challenged Needed

Never has a strong, responsible trade union movement been so needed. With austerity policies biting hard and with no evidence that they are working, people at work need the TUC to speak up for them now more than ever. Frances O'Grady

Work People Speak Strong Evidence Biting Responsible More Never Policies Trade Trade Union Been Austerity Up Than Movement Them Working Hard Working People Union Union Movement Now Ever Need Needed

The image of the unions is still not in tune with where we actually are, which is fifty-fifty men and women, with an increasing number of women at the top. I think it is changing, but I'm not complacent about this. Frances O'Grady

Women Men Men And Women Unions Think Complacent Increasing Changing Top I Think About Still Where Tune Which Actually Image Number

Ordinary people who have lots of good ideas want more than a suggestion box, and they need a union to represent that thinking. Frances O'Grady

Good People Thinking Good Ideas More Ideas Box Lots Than Represent Want Ordinary Ordinary People Union Who Suggestion Need

I came from a family where joining a union was the expected thing to do. I've always believed that the relationship between an employer and an individual worker is fundamentally unequal. Frances O'Grady

Family Relationship I Came Joining Individual Between Employer Always Came Unequal Expected Where Worker Union Believed Thing Fundamentally

My impression is that most women public service workers have a long fuse. Precisely because they care so deeply about services, more than anyone, they still want to find a sensible and fair negotiated agreement. But their patience has run out. Frances O'Grady

Service Patience Women Care Long Fuse Out Run Find About More Fair Most Because Still Impression Than Precisely Want Anyone Sensible Public Workers Public Service Agreement Deeply Services

Governments of all stripes want to deliver growth and rebalance their economies now that they have learned the hard way that, left to their own devices, markets pick expensive banking losers. Frances O'Grady

Own Way Markets Stripes Deliver Pick Economies Devices Learned Losers Governments Left Expensive Banking Want Hard Hard Way Now Growth

It is not natural or inevitable that half the world goes hungry; that the freedom of markets trumps protection of the planet; or that citizens' rights come second to those of corporations. Frances O'Grady

Freedom Rights Natural World Protection Half Inevitable Corporations Markets Those Hungry Citizens Come Goes Planet Second

I cherish the creation of public space and services, especially health, housing and the comprehensive education system which dared to give so many of us ideas 'above our station.' Frances O'Grady

Education Health Space Creation Our Station System Dared Above Give Comprehensive Ideas Housing Cherish Which Public Us Many Services

In the U.S. the powerful critics of austerity such as Paul Krugman and Robert Reich rightly identify the decline of 'labor' as a problem, and renewing trade unionism part of the solution. Our opportunity is to make the same case in the UK. Frances O'Grady

The TUC's new slogan 'a future that works' sets a profound challenge. Austerity and rapid deficit reduction is failing in its own terms, but even at its best it is short-sighted, muddle-through politics with no vision of a new economic model. Frances O'Grady

When I look at my daughter, who's 24, she is much more confident than I ever was and her expectations are higher. But I worry that there is a backlash brewing against progress on equality. Frances O'Grady

Equality Progress Daughter Worry Backlash More Higher Look She Than Expectations Confident Against Much Ever Her

There is this sense of David Cameron leading a Government that's badly out of touch with ordinary people's lives. I'd absolutely welcome the opportunity to show all political leaders what life is like for most people. Frances O'Grady

The backwoodsmen are muttering about making Britain's draconian union laws - already among the toughest in Europe - harsher still. And parts of the media will continue to attack public service pensions, as if school meals staff, refuse collectors and healthcare workers have no right to a decent retirement. Frances O'Grady

Service School Will Pensions Collectors About Laws Attack Toughest Retirement Parts Healthcare Making Still Continue Decent Refuse Staff Public Meals Workers Union Europe Public Service Media Among Right Draconian Britain

RFK was a compelling figure because he was willing to challenge his audiences, and in turn connect with them in a unique way. Kennedy showed that our values define us and can inspire others to believe in the possibility of change and a better society. Frances O'Grady

Change Better Inspire Challenge Values Believe Society Others Our Way Define Possibility Willing He Because Audiences His Them Turn Us Figure Connect Unique Compelling Kennedy

Although there's a lot of focus on the Lib Dems, we need to keep our eyes on the far right of the Tories, who I suspect will become increasingly impatient in their appetite for tax cuts, deregulation and shrinking the state even further. Frances O'Grady

Eyes Will Focus Become Lib Increasingly State Our Further Tories Impatient Although Lot Suspect Tax Tax Cuts Far Cuts Far Right Deregulation Who Even Keep Appetite Shrinking Right Need