| Position: |
Union Officer or Organiser |
| Interests / Specialist Areas: |
Employment Relations; Organising, Membership and Union Development; Economic and Social Policy |
| More about interests / specialists area: |
I am a National Officer for UNISON, specialising in bargaining research and campaigning around the living wage. I have been responsible for developing much of UNISON’s evidence on the national minimum wage. To support this work I have carried out research into the pay and conditions of young workers and commissioned work for UNISON on the extent and impact of low pay in a number of occupational sectors and local communities. In order to develop a practical living wage threshold, I worked with the Family Budget Unit to develop a computer programme which makes it possible determine the national Low Cost but Acceptable (LCA) minimum income threshold for a range of family types, and to vary that figure for local conditions. There are a number of projects around the country now using the programme that I am coordinating and promoting. I have helped UNISON to build alliances with local community organisations, working for the last five years with TELCO and London Citizens on the living wage campaign. I am co-chair of the London Citizens Living Wage Action Team. It was London Citizens’ successful campaign that resulted in the Mayor of London establishing a ‘living wage unit’ at City Hall. The unit has now researched and published a figure for the living wage for London and is in the process of implementing it for all staff within its power of direction. |
