Jimmy Somers

Jimmy Somers (2 November 1939 – 12 January 2024) was an Irish trade unionist, former President of SIPTU and Labour Party activist.

Born in Cabra, Dublin, Somers became active in the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU), soon being elected as a branch secretary,[1] and leading the party delegation to Dublin Trades Council.

Somers also became active in the Labour Party, in which he was a leading supporter of Michael O'Leary.

He finally stood at the 1983 Dublin Central by-election,[2] at which he took Labour's worst ever result in the constituency.

[1] In 1990, the ITGWU became part of the new SIPTU (Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union), and in 1994 Somers became the union's Vice President, in which position he played a key role in negotiating partnership agreements with the government.