Or as we affectionately know him in UNISON – The Prince of Darkness.
The STUC must be the only organisation that has the namesake of a Japanese Anime cartoon character as its President. I quote from Wikipaedia...
“Kirby is a young male pink ball, who is a citizen of Dream Land. He can walk, run, jump, float, slide, and inhale, spit out, or devour his enemies.”
So don’t get on the wrong side of him this week.
Until very recently Mike was a longstanding lay officer in UNISON before he gave up all that power to become our hired help - sorry full time official.
He worked somewhere in Strathclyde and Glasgow doing something in social or community work. Nobody in the union was ever quite sure of his job.
Neither was anyone in the council, mind you.
As is the woe of lay officials, when you get a new boss at work, they always size you up. This may be apocryphal but it is said that Mike’s boss once approached him and said he’d been surprised by the experience of supervising him.
He started: “I thought you’d be…” and Mike interrupted to suggest: “more bolshie? More in your face political?”
“No”, said the boss, “here more often!”
What else can we say about Mike Kirby then?
Ruggedly handsome in a socialist kind of way, agitator, organiser, problem solver – and style guru.
It is said of the legendary Michael McGahey that he enforced a strict dress code for the NUM’s STUC delegation as a mark of respect for those they represented.
Mike is an inspiration on that front.
But it wasn’t always that way. I first met Mike in 19 oatcake in a pub in London when he was pointed out to me with the description: “He’s that guy over there in the royal blue suit”.
So many things to say about that. So few I could get away with.
Probably best not to mention that years ago he worked on the White Heather Club.
For younger delegates, that was a kind of Brigadoon variety show that was broadcast nationwide.
I always had this picture of him in pumps and a kilt dancing energetically to ‘come tae the ceilidh, come wi me’ – but it turns out he was backstage staff.
Life’s full of disappointments like that.
Anyway, as the movement progressed from beer and sandwiches at Number 10, onto wine and toattie wee canapés at UNISON receptions, so Mike progressed too.
Sartorial elegance became the watchword.
Some years ago at a union training event in Aviemore, the fire alarm went off in the hotel in the middle of the night.
As the comrades evacuated, they were confronted by a confused, sleepy and naked person coming down the stairs.
It wasn’t Mike, I hasten to add, for he was nowhere to be seen.
When he did turn up, his explanation was that when a fire alarm goes off, he always faces a dilemma. Does he put his suit in the trouser press for 15 minutes or 30?
Less sartorial a while back were the bespoke red t-shirts that he and the Strathclyde delegation turned up to Conference in, with ‘Peace and Socialism’ printed on the on the back.
They fair thought they were the bees knees until the Glasgow delegation made a quick visit to the print shop and came back wearing red t-shirts with ‘Gie’s peace’ on the back.
Mike rose through the ranks of NALGO and UNISON in Strathclyde and Glasgow, building a reputation as a canny negotiator, a policy maker and a committed internationalist.
A steward, Chairperson, Nalgo Agenda Committee rep, NALGO Scottish Secretary.
Mind you, he only got the NALGO Scottish Secretary post at the second attempt. The first time round, an unholy stand-off between the Strathclyde trendy left and the old Edinburgh traditionalist centre, left a gap for the tank-driven Glasgow candidate – in the shape of wee 6’ 6” Chris Bartter - to rumble through and win.
In any case, CoSLA went on to poach Bartter, and Mike made no mistake the next time.
He became UNISON’s first Scottish Convener – his leadership bringing us through the massively important creation of the new union from Nalgo, Nupe and Cohse in 1993.
By the way, for anyone else considering merger, it’s nae bother – it’s just the first 15 years that are the worst.
He went on to become chair of UNISON’s regional conveners and held a pivotal role around the union’s lay organisation and policy-making forums and structures for many years.
It is hard to underestimate his influence in the union both in terms of policy and organising.
He’s apparently Glaswegian to the core. Someone who calls lemonade ‘ginger’; who calls a police station a ‘polis oaffice’ and who puts ‘Mccallum’ on his ice cream instead of raspberry.
He even supports Celtic. To the extent that I’m told he narrowly avoided arrest once as he stopped the traffic in Argyll Street outside the old Mitre Bar while celebrating his team winning some trophy or another.
I bet he wisnae wearing his blue suit that day!
As a service to the STUC and to avoid any chance that Mike might be arrested in his presidential year, Heart of Midlothian FC took on the responsibility the other week for ensuring no further celebrations for Mike this year.
But with all this west coast persona, you will no doubt be surprised that Mike was actually brought up in the inspiring capital of Edinburgh!
Now, I’m always slagging the glory seekers that follow the old firm instead of their local home team. But in Mike’s case I’ll make an exception – the alternative might have been Hibs!
Mind you, if he had supported Hibs, he would have at least been in a final on the 19th of May.
Last year, President Joy Dunn, incidentally a fine Hearts supporter herself, spoke of Mike’s ‘inspirational support’. That, along with the respect he commanded from delegates in the Palestine debate even when they weren’t agreeing with him, showed some of the impact he has.
Mike is driven by the fairness and justice we strive for in the labour movement. But he is not someone who basks in his politics. He is not someone who would put purism before practical improvements for our people.
Practical, yes, but not blind pragmatism. Mike is respected because of his principles and because he can also deliver - make things happen.
Often in mysterious ways, it has to be said - but with a genuine drive to make things better.
He does not seek position for position’s sake. It is to deliver on a vision – on what he wants the movement to achieve.
Whether we like it or not!
I’m often asked about his politics.
Well, I can reveal that he is a follower of Marx and Lenin.
As for Lenin, I checked it out with Neil and he confirmed it.
As for Marks, well, I can’t speak for his underwear, but just check out his shirt!
There is a warm and gentle side to Mike. A thoughtfulness and humanity that brings him friends across the movement.
A comrade reminded me of a funeral where Mike’s personal eulogy to a friend brought tears to many of the congregation. Two women were clearly moved and were overheard saying they couldnae understand why he was called the Prince of Darkness.
Mike has been a key part of the STUC's long-standing role building alliances between communities and unions to build a common cause against the attacks on Scotland’s industries, public services, civil rights and the welfare state.
In engaging, debating and taking on board what is important to others, he has been able to focus in on what unites us as opposed to what divides us.
Nowhere has this been more evident than in his international work.
A voice against Apartheid. A voice for Palestine. A voice for Venezuela.
Part of a process that saw the PGFTU and Histadrut brought together for full and frank discussions at the STUC in Perth in 2006.
Promoting the boycott, disinvestment and sanctions policy at the 2009 STUC.
But of course even Mike doesn’t always get things right.
At UNISON Conference we put out policy briefings to Scottish delegates on the debates. On one occasion, Mike got the line wrong! And we printed it!
A hanging offence normally, but it gave me the chance in the next briefing to use the headline I’d been waiting to use for years.
“Kirby grip lost”.
You don’t often see him angry. Well, not until now, maybe.
But when you do see him angry, it’s about the things that matter. About the exploitation of workers. About the savagery being visited on the Palestinian people. About the greed that is destroying public services. About the racism that scars our communities. He was one of the first to bring broad union support to the Chokhar family campaign, calling for a public inquiry over 10 years ago.
And he articulates that anger well because it is genuinely felt.
In Glasgow, Scotland, the UK and further afield, he has an ability to work with people across politics, cultures and communities.
He has won respect because he looks for solutions and he is driven by a genuine passion for the rights of the people we organise at home and show solidarity to across the world.
President, in proposing this vote of thanks, I bring messages of support from comrades far and wide. Have a great Congress.
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