Mike Hicks (1937–2017) — British trade unionist and Communist Party leader

Union career and roles

Hicks belonged to the print industry trade movement and was an executive member of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT), the umbrella union that represented many workers in printing and related trades. His work in the union involved industrial representation, collective bargaining and involvement in debates over the future of the printing industry during a period of technological change and consolidation.

Political activity

As a leading figure in the Communist Party of Britain, Hicks held the party's top administrative post for a decade, overseeing organisation, public communications and internal debates. The Communist Party of Britain had been formed in the late 1980s by members seeking to continue a traditional Marxist approach in British politics. Hicks' decade-long tenure as General Secretary coincided with efforts to maintain party structures and to participate in left-wing campaigns and labour issues.

Membership and affiliations

In addition to his long association with the Communist Party, Hicks was at times involved with the broader Labour movement and was described as a member of the Labour Party. His career illustrates the close, often complex ties between trade unions and left-wing political parties in the UK, where individuals sometimes held memberships or worked across organisations to advance workplace and social aims.

Death and legacy

Mike Hicks died on 7 September 2017 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, from a heart attack at the age of 80. Obituaries and remembrances noted his steady commitment to union work and to campaigning on behalf of workers in the printing trades, as well as his leadership role within a small but persistent strand of British communism. His life is an example of postwar British industrial and political activism.

Further reading and context

• Background on SOGAT and the print unions in Britain can help explain the workplace context in which Hicks worked. See related profiles and archival material.
• The formation and early decades of the Communist Party of Britain are relevant to understanding the political environment of his leadership.