Trade unions under the spotlight

Roger McKenzie OBE, Assistant General Secretary of the public service trade union Unison, will visit Wolverhampton on Tuesday, 12 April 2011.

The seminar, entitled ‘The role of trade unions in society’ will take place in Room MN110 at the Wolverhampton City Campus from 12.30pm.

Roger has held the post of Assistant General Secretary since December 2010 and prior to this was the West Midlands Regional Secretary of Unison.

Professor Mike Haynes, Joint Head of the University of Wolverhampton Business School’s Management Research Centre (MRC), said: “This is a great opportunity to engage with a leading national trade unionist at a challenging time for industrial relations in the UK. Roger McKenzie’s appearance as seminar speaker is a major coup for the University and provides students with direct access to hear from and quiz an influential figure.”

Roger has been at the forefront of developing union black workers’ structures and in the guise of Race Equality Officer of the TUC has been an advisor on institutional racism. He was also previously the National Chair of the Labour Party Black Sections. He was awarded the OBE in 2009 in recognition of his services to Diversity and Equal Opportunities. He is currently working to complete a PhD on the origins and development of black self organisation in the UK trade union movement.

Throughout his career Roger has developed strong links with the West Midlands, holding the position of regional secretary of the Midlands TUC for the four years up to 2008. He also has an association with the with whom he is an Honorary Research Fellow.

Attendance at the event is free and open to all, and booking is not required. For more information, email MRCAdmin@wlv.ac.uk

ENDS

Picture: Roger McKenzie OBE

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