Helen Kelly (19 September 1964 – 14 October 2016) was President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions from 2007 to 2015.

Kelly was born in Wellington on 19 September 1964[1] to Pat Kelly and Catherine Eichelbaum, both strong social activists – Pat was a well-known unionist and Cath was active in the anti-Vietnam war movement – who met while selling a communist newspaper, People's Voice.

She was the youngest person appointed as a general secretary of the AUS, a position she held for five years until her election as CTU President in 2007.

In one case, the government refused to press charges against the employer, so Kelly led a private prosecution against the company.

Kelly said in a statement at the time: "let's get all the facts on the table about taxes, subsidies, and other issues – rather than just blaming the union for asking to meet on basic terms and conditions".

[12] Kelly lived in Mount Victoria, Wellington, with her husband Steve Hurring, and her son Dylan, from a previous relationship.