Brendan Barber

Brendan Barber
Barber speaking at the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally in 2012
Chair of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service
In office
2014–2020
MinisterVince Cable
Sajid Javid
Greg Clark
Andrea Leadsom
Alok Sharma
Kwasi Kwarteng
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Preceded byEd Sweeney
Succeeded byClaire Chapman
10th General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
In office
2003–2012
Preceded byJohn Monks
Succeeded byFrances O'Grady
Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress
In office
1993–2003
Preceded byJohn Monks
Succeeded byFrances O'Grady
Personal details
Born (1951-04-03) 3 April 1951 (age 73)
Southport, England
Alma materCity University London

Sir Brendan Paul Barber (born 3 April 1951) is a British trade union official. He served as chair of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) Council until 2020. He is a former general secretary of the United Kingdom's Trades Union Congress (TUC); a post he held from June 2003 until his retirement at the end of 2012. He was appointed Acas Chair in 2014, replacing Ed Sweeney, who had been in the post since 2007. He also serves on the board of the Banking Standards Board (2015–), the Board of Transport for London (2013–), the board of Britain Stronger in Europe (2015–), the Council of City University, London and the board of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (2014–).

Early life

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Born in Southport, Lancashire, Barber was educated at St Mary's College, Sefton (then a direct grant grammar school). Between school and university, he spent a year with VSO teaching in the Volta Region of Ghana. At City University London, he earned a BA hons in social sciences in 1974, then spent the next year as the president of the students' union.[1]

Career

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He spent a year as a researcher for the Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products Industry Training Board based in Harrow.[1]

TUC

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In 1975. he began working at the TUC[2] as a policy officer. In 1979, he became the head of the TUC's Press and Information Department. In 1987, he became head of the Organisation and Industrial Relations Department and in 1993 he became deputy general secretary.[1]

He became General Secretary of the TUC in June 2003. On 18 April 2012, he announced his retirement, enabling a successor to be elected in September at Trades Union Congress 2012.[3] Frances O'Grady was elected his successor.[4]

Awards

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In 2007, Barber was given an Award of Doctor of Science honoris causa by City University London. He was knighted in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to employment relations.[5][6]

Personal life

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He met Mary Gray in the TUC International Dept, and they married. They have two daughters. He supports Everton F.C. and lives in Muswell Hill.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Biographical details: Brendan Barber". Trades Union Congress. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  2. ^ Stevenson, Alexander (2013). The Public Sector: Managing The Unmanageable. Kogan Page. ISBN 978-0-7494-6777-7.
  3. ^ "Brendan Barber to retire as TUC General Secretary". Trades Union Congress. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. ^ Claire Bolderson (7 September 2012). "Profile: Frances O'Grady, the new TUC general secretary". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  5. ^ "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 1.
  6. ^ "Birthday Honours: Adele joins Blackadder stars on list". BBC News. 14 June 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2013.
[edit]
Trade union offices
Preceded by Deputy General Secretary of the TUC
1993–2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by General Secretary of the TUC
2003–2012
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Chair of Acas
2014 – present
Succeeded by
Incumbent