Dave Prentis
Encyclopedia
Dave Prentis is the current General Secretary of UNISON
, the United Kingdom
's largest trade union
. He was originally elected on 1 January 2001 and was re-elected in March 2005, with 77% of the vote.
where he attended a Catholic grammar school and went to the University of London
where he took a BA
in History, then studied Economic History at the LSE
. This was followed by a masters degree in Industrial Relations at the University of Warwick
.
in 1975. In 1990, he became the deputy general secretary. He was the UNISON's deputy general secretary (DGS) since its formation in July 1993, when it was formed from NALGO, NUPE
and CoHSE
.
He succeeded Rodney Bickerstaffe
in 2001, having been elected in February 2000.
He is a member of the TUC
general council, TUC executive committee and the Trade Union Labour Party Liaison Committee. Since 2007, he has been President of the TUC.
He is a member of the Labour Party's
economy commission and the Labour Party joint policy committee.
(IPPR) and also Catalyst
, two centre-left research bodies.
Prentis is also an adviser to the Warwick Institute of Governance and Public Management and a visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford
.
He is a member of various joint working parties with the government and the CBI
. He is president of Unity Trust Bank
.
of the oesophagus and stomach
. He had much of his stomach removed, underwent chemotherapy
, and then contracted MRSA
in hospital. Since his recovery from cancer he has been unable to eat large meals.
In fact as a member of the UNISON staff pension scheme he was funding the pension increase himself through a 'salary sacrifice' scheme.
UNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's largest trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. He was originally elected on 1 January 2001 and was re-elected in March 2005, with 77% of the vote.
Early life
Prentis was born and brought up in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
where he attended a Catholic grammar school and went to the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
where he took a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in History, then studied Economic History at the LSE
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
. This was followed by a masters degree in Industrial Relations at the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
.
Trade unions
He joined NALGONational Association of Local Government Officers
The National and Local Government Officers Association was a British trade union representing mostly local government "white collar" workers. It was formed in 1905 as the National Association of Local Government Officers, and changed its full name in 1952 while retaining its widely-used acronym,...
in 1975. In 1990, he became the deputy general secretary. He was the UNISON's deputy general secretary (DGS) since its formation in July 1993, when it was formed from NALGO, NUPE
National Union of Public Employees
The National Union of Public Employees was a British trade union which represented public sector workers. The union was founded in 1908 as the National Union of Corporation Workers, which split from the Municipal Employees Association, following Albin Taylor's dismissal as General Secretary...
and CoHSE
Confederation of Health Service Employees
The Confederation of Health Service Employees was a United Kingdom trade union representing workers primarily in the National Health Service...
.
UNISON leadership
In his role as the deputy general secretary, Prentis directed UNISON's national negotiating team and oversaw the union's policy making functions. He also drove through a strategic review of the union, aimed at delivering key reforms, to bring union services closer to the members. Mr Prentis is responsible for 1,500 staff and a turnover of around £160 million.He succeeded Rodney Bickerstaffe
Rodney Bickerstaffe
Rodney Bickerstaffe has been president of the UK National Pensioners Convention and was leader of Britain's largest trade union, UNISON until 2001....
in 2001, having been elected in February 2000.
He is a member of the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
general council, TUC executive committee and the Trade Union Labour Party Liaison Committee. Since 2007, he has been President of the TUC.
He is a member of the Labour Party's
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
economy commission and the Labour Party joint policy committee.
Public organisations
He is a trustee of the Institute for Public Policy ResearchInstitute for Public Policy Research
The IPPR is the leading progressive think-tank in the UK. It produces research and policy ideas committed to upholding values of social justice, democratic reform and environmental sustainability. IPPR is based in London and IPPR North has branches in Newcastle and Manchester.It was founded in...
(IPPR) and also Catalyst
Catalyst (think tank)
Catalyst was an independent left wing think tank based in London, United Kingdom, set up in 1998 to promote policies directed to the redistribution of power, wealth and opportunity...
, two centre-left research bodies.
Prentis is also an adviser to the Warwick Institute of Governance and Public Management and a visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...
.
He is a member of various joint working parties with the government and the CBI
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
. He is president of Unity Trust Bank
Unity Trust Bank
Unity Trust Bank Plc provides specialist banking services to trades unions and charities in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1984; head office is located at Nine Brindleyplace in Birmingham....
.
Personal life
In 2000, he was diagnosed with cancerCancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
of the oesophagus and stomach
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
. He had much of his stomach removed, underwent chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
, and then contracted MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. It is also called multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus...
in hospital. Since his recovery from cancer he has been unable to eat large meals.
Daily Mail Apology
The Sunday Mail was obliged to print an apology to Mr Prentis on 7th August 2011 after incorrectly reporting the previous week that Mr Prentis had received a 31% increase in pension contributions from UNISON.In fact as a member of the UNISON staff pension scheme he was funding the pension increase himself through a 'salary sacrifice' scheme.