Primary contributors

The ToUChstone blog is primarily authored by TUC policy staff.

• NULL
  

  Alex Rossiter

  Alex Rossiter is Senior Media Officer at the TUC.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Alice Hood

  I’m Head of the TUC's Equality and Strategy Department. Before that, I worked as TUC Director of Strategy, and as a TUC senior policy officer on public services, as well as a policy officer for the Local Government Association, for the European Parliamentary Labour Party and a full-time elected student union officer.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Amina Khatun

  Amina is a Policy and Campaigns Support Officer in the Organisation and Services department. She blogs about public service campaigns. Previously she has worked for a number of policy and campaigning organisations, including UNISON and IPPR. Outside work she is doing a PhD at SOAS, on gender and Islamic-personhoods.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Anjum Klair

  I work in the TUC’s Economics and Social Affairs Department. As a researcher I undertake labour market and economic analysis. As the Office Manager I am responsible for the management of the office which includes our conferences and seminars programme. Prior to joining the TUC I worked at the London School of Economics and the University of Westminster.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Bill Adams

  Bill Adams is Regional Secretary for the TUC in the Yorkshire and The Humber region.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Clare Coatman

  I'm a Campaigner for the TUC focusing on reaching out to Britain’s young core workers and improving their experience of work. I am an experienced campaigner and activist having worked on issues ranging from democratic reform to food banks and intergenerational justice.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Elena Crasta

  I’m the TUC European officer and I am based in Brussels, where I represent the TUC in the European Union, liaising with the European TUC and sister organisations across Europe, the European Commission, Parliament and Council. I’m particularly interested in the European dimension of the work the TUC does around workers’ rights and welfare, the economy, taxation policy and more generally the debate about UK membership of the EU. I’ve been at the TUC for 10 years, during which I’ve also worked for our Southern and Eastern region and as employment rights officer.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Frances O'Grady

  Frances O'Grady is General Secretary of the TUC, and is the first woman ever to hold this post. She was on the Resolution Foundation's Commission on Living Standards, and has been a member of the Low Pay and the High Pay Commissions. Frances is a strong believer in protecting the public service ethos, opposes privatisation and leads TUC campaigning on the NHS. You can read Frances' full biography at the TUC website.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Geoff Tily

  Geoff Tily joined the TUC as Senior Economist in August 2014. This follows 25 years as a member of the government statistical and then economic services, most recently as a macroeconomic adviser in HM Treasury. His book 'Keynes Betrayed' is regarded as an important contribution to the literature.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Hannah Reed

  Hannah Reed is a Senior Employment Rights Officer in the TUC's Economic and Social Affairs Department. Hannah is responisible for trade union and employment law, including collective and individual employment rights.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Helen Nadin

  I am a Policy and Campaigns Support Officer in the TUC’s Economics and Social Affairs Department. My role involves contributing to the research of the department and organizing events. Previously I worked on developing policy on private and public sector pensions, and state pensions. I joined the TUC in 2007, after working for a number of organizations including as Strategic Planner Researcher at the NSPCC.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Hugh Robertson

  Hugh Robertson is the Senior Policy Officer for Health and Safety at the TUC. He also sits on the Board of the Health and Safety Executive and the European Agency for Health and Safety. He is chair of the Occupational Diseases working party of the European Commission’s Health and safety Advisory Committee and is Vice-chair of the Panel of Experts on Occupational Diseases of the International Labour Organisation. Hugh is a Chartered Fellow of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Huma Munshi

  Huma Munshi leads on disability and LGBT equality policy at the TUC. She has almost 10 years' experience working in equality policy in a political environment and previously worked at the Greater London Authority.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Iain Murray

  Iain is TUC Senior Policy Officer responsible for policy on education and skills.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Jack Jones

  I'm a policy and campaigns support officer in the TUC's economic and social affairs department. Before that I was a financial journalist.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Janet Williamson

  I am a Senior Policy Officer in the TUC's Economic and Social Affairs Department responsible for policy on corporate governance, institutional investment, executive pay and corporate social responsibility. I am the Chair of Trade Union Share Owners, an initiative that brings together union funds to collaborate on voting and engagement at company AGMs, and a trustee of the TUC Superannuation Society. I also contribute to TUC pensions policy and campaigning.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  John Wood

  I’m Digital Manager at the TUC, working on our campaigns and communications online. I’m always tinkering with the system behind this blog (so if something’s broken it’s likely my fault) and on housekeeping duties to help out the other contributors. I’ve been at the TUC since 2002, and before joining the team here, I worked on websites, eCommerce and online campaigning for Oxfam GB. In busman’s holiday style, I spend some of the spare time my kids leave me in blogging and online activism.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Kam Gill

  I am a policy officer at the TUC. I have previously worked as a policy advisor for the Electoral Commission and as a research and policy analyst at the race equality think tank The Runnymede Trust.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Kate Bell

  Kate is Head of the Economic and Social Affairs Department (ESAD). Before joining the TUC, Kate worked as Head of Policy and Public Affairs for a local authority; Work and Pensions adviser to Ed Miliband during his period as leader of the Labour Party and for the charities Child Poverty Action Group and Gingerbread.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Kathryn Mackridge

  I am a policy and campaigns support officer in the Organisation and Services Department. I blog about public services and young workers. Before the TUC I worked in local government in housing, education and social care, and at Oxfam Cymru on UK poverty.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Kevin Rowan

  I'm Head of the the Organisation and Services Department at the TUC, responsible for our work on public services, relations with unions, transport, young workers, health and safety, and our activity in the regions and Wales. I'm a keen cyclist and passionate about live music, including being a part-time roadie for Eliza Smiles (one of the best young bands to come out of Tyneside).

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Matt Creagh

  Matthew is a TUC employment rights policy officer, covering labour market enforcement, employment tribunal fees and family friendly rights. Before this, he project managed the TUC union modernisation fund project on precarious employment and currently leads research to better understand the challenges young working parents face. He also previously worked in the learning and skills arm of the TUC, unionlearn, helping unions negotiate good quality apprenticeships with employers. Matthew completed a LLM in Labour Law from King's College London in July 2015.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Matt Dykes

  I am the TUC's Senior Policy Officer for Public Services and lead the TUC's work on the joint union All Together for the NHS campaign. I've worked at the TUC for 10 years covering public services, transport and civil society. Before joining the TUC I worked for the Mayor of London as well as several years in the civil service. I’ve been an active rep for both PCS and UNISON, and was also a founder member of Justice for Colombia.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Michael Pidgeon

  Michael is a Media Officer at the Trades Union Congress. He previously worked as a policy officer with Friends of the Earth in Brussels, and in various parliamentary roles in Ireland and the EU.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Natasha Owusu

  Natasha is the Policy & Campaigns Support Officer in the Equality and Strategy department. Natasha works on equality campaigns and various cross-departmental campaigns e.g. Trade Union Bill and Decent Jobs Week. Prior to this Natasha worked in TUC Education in the national and Southern and Eastern office . Natasha has also worked in Unionlearn as a Project Worker delivering Learning at Work Day and ESOL at Work project.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin

  Niamh is digital content editor at the TUC.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Owen Tudor

  I’ve been the Head of the TUC’s European Union and International Relations Department since 2003 and have worked at the TUC since 1984. I’ve been a member of the Health and Safety Commission, the Civil Justice Council, the Social Security Advisory Committee and the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and now I’m on the Wilton Park Advisory Council. I’m particularly interested in the trade union movements of Australia, Iran and Iraq, the Middle East and the USA, and I’m interested in migration, trade, and building trade union capacity. I’m the Secretary of TUC Aid, the TUC’s charitable union development arm. My wife Sarah works is Director of Development at St Hugh's College, Oxford and my son Charles is a chef. I’m a season ticket holder at Saracens, and a member of the Wine Society and the GMB. I also blog a lot at Stronger Unions.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Paul Sellers

  Paul is TUC Policy Officer dealing with working time and the minimum wage. He focuses on combating the long hours culture, campaigning for better laws on working time, and promoting collective bargaining and best practice. He also focuses on influencing the Low Pay Commission and the Government, and works to promote better awareness and enforcement of the minimum wage.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Philip Hadley

  Philip is a Policy & Campaigns Support Officer in the TUC's Organisation and Services Department, where he works on public services campaigns including Action for Rail and Speak Up For Justice.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Richard Exell

  I am the TUC’s Senior Policy Officer covering social security, tax credits and labour market issues, including the debates about the European social model and labour market flexibility. I also represent the TUC on the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and am the Vice Chair of the End Child Poverty coalition.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Rosa Crawford

  I’m a Policy Officer in the International Relations and European Union Department dealing with issues around trade, migration and Japan.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Sally Brett

  I’m Senior Policy Officer in the TUC’s Economic and Social Affairs Department covering individual employment rights. I’m also a trustee and co-chair of the charity Working Families, which campaigns on behalf of working parents and carers.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Sam Gurney

  Sam Gurney is Senior Strategy and Development Officer in the TUC's Equalities and Strategy Department. He is the TUC's delegate to the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Scarlet Harris

  Scarlet is the TUC’s Women's Equality Officer based in the Equality and Employment Rights Department. She joined the organisation in 2009 and works on policy issues such as maternity rights; representation of women in unions; occupational segregation; women in the labour market; equal pay; sex discrimination and family policy.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Sharon Sukhram

  Sharon is a Policy Officer in the TUC's Organisation and Services Department, where she covers issues around public services and transport, including the TUC's involvement in the Action For Rail campaign and Speak Up For Justice campaign.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Silkie Cragg

  I'm a Policy Officer in the TUC's Organisation and Services Department, specialising in regional policy and devolution. Before this I worked in the TUC's Economics Department. Previously I held research positions in Parliament, at KPMG, and Warwick University. Outside of work I'm studying an MSc in Government, Policy and Politics at the University of London. And riding my bike.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Stephen Russell

  Stephen Russell is currently working as International Policy Officer covering Business & Human Rights, and Coordinator of the Playfair campaign. Prior to this Stephen worked in unionlearn, the TUC’s learning and skills organisation, where he managed a range of projects covering maths, learning centres, the Union Learning Fund, management information and digital inclusion. Stephen has worked in a variety of departments across the TUC, spanning 20 years.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Tanya Warlock

  Tanya Warlock is a Policy & Campaigns Support Officer in the European Union & International Relations Department. Prior to this she was the Project Worker for the Local Migration Messaging Project, working in three geographically spread areas, Corby, Manchester and Southampton campaigning to convey positive messages around migration in the lead up the General Election.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Tim Page

  I’m a Senior Policy Officer at the TUC, responsible for economic and industrial policy. I also cover science policy, public procurement and high performance workplaces. I started my union at the Amalgamated Engineering Union, which is now part of Unite. I also did a spell at the House of Commons, working for the MPs Ann Clwyd and Ian McCartney. I was part of the team that put together the policy proposals which became the National Minimum Wage. One of my major tasks at the TUC is editing our Budget Submission, which is sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer each year. It sets out our analysis of the state of the economy and recommends policies which, we believe, will improve the economic and social fabric of Britain. Being the TUC Budget Submission, it is especially concerned with these issues from the perspective of people at work. When I’m not working, I enjoy sports, especially football (watching) and skiing (taking part). I’m also learning to speak Italian.

  More from this author
• NULL
  

  Tim Sharp

  I am a TUC Policy Officer focusing on pensions and investments. I also serve on the Members' Panel of pension provider NEST. Previously, I was a financial journalist.

  More from this author

  Follow @
• NULL
  

  Wilf Sullivan

  Wilf Sullivan is the TUC Race Equality Officer, a role he has held since December 2004. He is active on race equality policy matters both inside and outside of the trade union movement. He is a member of the Government’s Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholders Group, is treasurer of the UK Race and Europe Network, was an Executive Board member of the European Network Against Racism and sits on a number of race equality research academic advisory boards.

  More from this author

  Follow @