date: 18 December 2002 embargo: 1430hrs Wednesday 18 December 2002

Attention: industrial and political correspondents, news desks

Brendan Barber becomes TUC General Secretary Elect

The TUC General Council has today elected Brendan Barber as TUC General Secretary-elect. He will take over from John Monks as General Secretary, when John becomes General Secretary of the ETUC in late May.

Brendan Barber was nominated by 41 (out of 69) unions, representing 96 per cent of the TUC’s affiliated members (6,417,504 out of 6,685,353).

There were no other candidates.

Brendan Barber said, 'I am delighted to have been elected as the TUC’s next General Secretary, and proud to have secured the support of so many unions in the nominating process. I’m in no doubt about the scale of the challenges that face the TUC. But I’m in no doubt either about the fundamental and continuing importance of trade unionism in the life of the British people.'

Notes to Editors:

attached to this release is

• the text of a statement made by Brendan Barber at a press conference following his election

• a biography of Brendan Barber

• statements by the Prime Minister, the Director General of the Confederation of British Industry and the Leader of the Liberal Democrats

• a list of unions that nominated Brendan Barber

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Text of statement by Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary-elect, at a press conference held at Congress House after the General Council meeting that confirmed his appointment.

'Can I say how delighted I am to have been elected as the TUC’s next General Secretary, and how proud I am to have secured the support of so many unions in the nominating process.

'I’m in no doubt about the scale of the challenges that face the TUC. But I’m in no doubt either about the fundamental and continuing importance of trade unionism in the life of the British people.

'If trade unions didn’t exist they would need to be invented.

'We stand ready to help our members when things go wrong. We give our members a collective voice, so we can negotiate with employers, lobby government and speak up for social justice.

'We help improve living standards. Not just by arguing for fair shares at work, but by helping improve productivity and by helping our members get on through training and development.

'The TUC’s job is clear - to help unions play those roles better, to speak on behalf of the whole trade union movement and to represent Britain at work.

'I know what a challenge it will be to follow John Monks. He has been one of the great TUC general secretaries, constantly looking to take trade unionism forward, winning esteem not only throughout the trade union movement, but in every quarter of British life.

'John is moving of course to take on the job of General Secretary of the ETUC and as the European Union grows through the enlargement process John’s vision and energy will be called on to the full.

'My task now is to build on his achievements and to continue always to look forwards.

'I have to provide new leadership for these new times.

'I start from first principles. Trade unions are a force for social justice. Societies with strong trade union movements are fairer, more efficient societies. Equality is my passion.

'But there are many powerful forces today making our country more unequal - not less.

'Despite the minimum wage, the gap between those at the bottom and those at the top continues to grow. A quarter of Britain’s full-time workers are paid £250 a week or less.

'As boardroom pensions get more generous, fewer and fewer people at work have any access to a company pension, let alone a final salary scheme.

'The pay gap between men and women remains stubbornly large. The lives of too many black and ethnic minority workers are blighted by discrimination and disadvantage.

'And there are new inequalities. Changes to our public services - even with the best of intentions - threatens to produce a two-tier workforce. Reform yes, but not if it’s paid for by an ever-growing group of marginal workers on little more than the minimum wage, and denied even the sick pay and pension rights that public sector employees enjoy.

'It’s an awkward role at time, but I’m clear that the TUC must be Britain’s conscience - standing up to the powerful forces making us more unequal.

'But we cannot fight for social justice by looking to the past, playing up to media stereotypes or pretending that we do not live in a fast changing complex world.

'Today’s unions know how to engage with employers - how to be tough on bad employers; but also how to partner the good employer that wants to get better. I want trade unionism to be recognised - as it should be - for playing a crucial role in some of our most successful industries and services.

'Today’s unions know they need to be tough on themselves, always ready to reach out, to modernise and be self-critical.

'And today’s unions are in touch with the modern workplace. Fighting for fair pay, decent pensions and safe working as we have always done, but also the new issues - stress, long hours and overwork, getting some balance between work and the rest of our lives.

'That gives today’s unions a broad agenda - and means that we must spend as much time striving to make work interesting, to help people get on through new skills and to make jobs secure.

'And we have to engage with government in new ways too. That means knowing how to say when they get it wrong in a way that makes them think again. And it means being ready to partner this government though bad times as well as good. This is the most pro-union, pro-working people government on offer today - we can help them handle things even better if we can get our own relationship with them in better order.

'My immediate challenges are clear.

'We must improve - indeed repair - our relations with government. If, as some say, some people in this government don’t know what modern unions are for, then we have to have to keep prodding and pushing to help them understand. That means being clear - but not necessarily loud. Sometimes the louder people shout the less other people are prepared to listen.

'We must work together better within the trade union movement too. Too many unions compete for members, and attention. Yet, of course, we are stronger when we pull together. That means avoiding damaging inter-union rivalry.

'We must reach out to non-union Britain. Not only exploited, low paid workers who fall below minimum union standards but also the new jobs in the new sectors, which too often are no-go areas for unions. There is a growing professional workforce in Britain. Trade unionism has a job to do on their behalf too.

'It’s a tough job and a great challenge. It won’t always be easy, but I also know that nothing can be more rewarding than having such a key role in advancing the trade union values I hold dear.'

Brendan Barber biography

Brendan Barber was born on 3 April 1951 in Southport, Lancashire.

He was educated at St Mary’s College, a grammar school in Crosby and spent a ‘gap year’ with Voluntary Service Overseas teaching in the Volta Region of Ghana before going on to the City University in London where he gained a BA Hons in social sciences.

His family are all from Merseyside and both grandfathers worked on the docks in Garston.

His father was a bricklaying instructor at a young offenders institute in Southport.

After graduating, Brendan took a sabbatical year as President of the City University Students Union where, among other things, he was involved in negotiations with the Greater London Council to acquire cheap housing for students near the university campus.

His first job, after university, in 1974, was as a researcher for the Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products Industry Training Board, based in Harrow.

A year later, in 1975, he joined the TUC as a policy officer dealing with training issues. A year later, Brendan was promoted to the post of assistant secretary in the Organisation and Industrial Relations Department.

In April 1979, shortly before the general election that saw the defeat of the Labour Government, he became head of the TUC Press and Information Department. Over the next eight years Brendan dealt with the TUC media relations at a time when union stories often dominated the news agenda, from the Stockport Messenger dispute of 1982, to the Miners Strike of 1984-85 and the Wapping Dispute. He was also closely involved in international stories relating to the TUC’s dealings with unions in places from Poland and the rise of Solidarity, to South Africa where the trade unions played a prominent part in the overthrow of apartheid.

In 1987 he returned to the Organisation and Industrial Relations Department as head of department. Here his responsibilities included dealing with inter-union relations, employment law and training policy.

In 1993, following John Monks election as general secretary, Brendan became deputy general secretary. He was a driving force in the United Against Racism campaign involving a number of demonstrations and later the Respect free music festivals. He has also played a prominent role in the establishment of the TUC Organising Academy - training organisers to help unions boost membership, and the Partnership Institute, whose aim is to promote partnership style relations between employers and unions.

Recently he has helped establish new machinery in the university sector and worked hard to build better relations between all the unions in the schools sector. He has worked closely with John Monks in the area of government relations.

Brendan Barber has been a member of the ACAS council since 1995 and was a member of Sport England from 1999 until earlier this year.

He lives in Muswell Hill, north London with his wife Mary, whom he met when she worked in the TUC International Department, and his daughters, Amy (17) and Sarah (14).

Brendan is an avid supporter of Everton Football Club, though he also occasionally attends the home games of Vauxhall Conference side Barnet. He is also a keen golfer.

Statements made in reaction to Brendan Barber’s election

The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Tony Blair MP, said:

"I warmly welcome Brendan Barber's election as TUC General Secretary. He has been a friend and colleague for many years. Brendan enjoys huge respect among trade unionists and in the Labour party and he will do the job with real skill and commitment. There will of course be issues where the TUC and government won't agree - but I know that we will continue to tackle disagreements together. I wish him every success and look forward to working with him in the years to come."

On the announcement of Brendan Barber as TUC General Secretary elect. CBI Director-General, Digby Jones, said : "We welcome Brendan Barber's appointment. He is much respected and brings valuable experience to the role. The CBI has had a good working relationship with him over many years and he has shown himself to be constructive and straightforward.

"John Monks has worked hard to develop the kind of successful employee-employer relationships appropriate to the modern economy and we look forward to continuing that with his successor."

Liberal Democrat Leader, the Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP, commenting on the announcement that Brendan Barber is the new General Secretary of the TUC, said:

'I congratulate Brendan Barber on his appointment as the new General Secretary of the TUC.

'Brendan has a distinguished record of service at the TUC, and has been particularly vocal in fighting for equality of opportunity for people of all ethnic minority backgrounds in the workplace.

'The Liberal Democrats have developed a good relationship with the TUC in recent years under the excellent leadership of John Monks. I look forward to working with Brendan in the future in a similarly constructive and positive way.'

Nominations for Brendan Barber
Unions	No of Members represented
Abbey National Group Union	8,514
ACCORD	24,170
Alliance and Leicester Group Union of Staff	2,683
Amicus	1,078,974
Association for College Management	3,250
Association of Flight Attendants	739
Association of Magisterial Officers	6,344
Association of Teachers and Lecturers	113,161
Association of University Teachers	44,051
British Air Line Pilots Association	7,531
British Association of Colliery Management - TEAM	4,049
Britannia Staff Union	2,358
Ceramic and Allied Trades Union	13,794
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy	32,498
Communication Workers’ Union	279,679
Connect	18,785
Educational Institute of Scotland	52,552
Fire Brigades Union	52,602
GMB	689,276
Graphical, Paper and Media Union	200,008
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association	2,473
ISTC	50,100
Musicians’ Union	30,925
National Association of Education Inspectors Advisers and Consultants	3,079
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers	200,257
NATFHE	66,991
National Union of Knitwear, Footwear and Apparel Trades	15,047
National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers	18,867
Nationwide Group Staff Union	11,291
National Union of Teachers	217,224
Prison Officers' Association	30,152
PROSPECT	105,046
Public and Commercial Services Union	281,923
Transport and General Workers' Union	848,809
Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association	31,763
UBAC	2,796
Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru	3,980
UNIFI	158,733
Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians	119,993
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers	310,337
UNISON	1,272,700
Total	6,417,504	96.0%
Total unions	6,685,353	69 unions

Press release (2,300 words) issued 18 Dec 2002