Born in Manchester in 1945

Married with three children

Education

Degree in Economic History from Nottingham University, England.

Career

 1967-69 Management trainee with electronics Group, Plessey Ltd.

 1969 Joined Trades Union Congress, Great Britain

 1977-87 Head of the TUC’s Organization and Industrial Relations Department

 1979-1995 Member of the Council of the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) of Great Britain

 1987-1993 Deputy General Secretary, TUC

 1988-1991 Member of the UK Economic and Social Research Council

 1993-2003 General Secretary of the TUC

 1998-2004 Vice Chairman, Learning and Skills Council, England and Chair, Adult Learning Committee

 1999-2000 Chairman, Co-operative Commission UK

2003 General Secretary, ETUC, re-elected in 2007.

Current duties outside the ETUC include membership of the following bodies:

Chairman, People’s History Museum, Manchester

Councils of the European Policy Centre, Brussels and the Centre for European Studies, London.

Interests include music, sport and hiking. (Supports Manchester United, Swinton Rugby League Club and Lancashire County Cricket Club).

Honorary degrees from the following universities: Nottingham, Manchester, Salford, Cranfield, Cardiff, Southampton, Open, Kingston. Fellow of the City and Guilds of London Institute.