Professor Edward Sweeney

Ed was appointed Chair of ACAS in 2007 before retiring in 2013.

Ed graduated from Warwick University in 1976 with an honours degree in Politics & Law, and took an MSc (Econ) in Industrial Relations and Labour Law from LSE in 1977. Later that year he joined the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) as Research Officer, followed by a wide range of financial posts.

He was elected Deputy General Secretary of the Banking Insurance and Finance Union (BIFU) in 1991 and General Secretary of BIFU in 1996. Following the formation of UNIFI in May 1999, Ed was elected General Secretary of UNIFI in 2000. After UNIFI was transferred into Amicus, he was appointed as Deputy General Secretary of Amicus (now known as the Amicus Section of Unite).

Ed holds posts as:
 

  • Member of the TUC General Council and TUC Executive Committee
  • Chair of the TUC International Development Group
  • Joint Chair of DfID/TUC Forum
  • Member of the TUC Superannuation Committee
  • Member of the TUC Learning and Skills Task Group
  • TUC Skills for Life Advocate
  • Member of the Trade Union Sustainable Development Committee
  • Member of the Council of the Institute of Employment Rights and the Council for Unions 21
  • Member of the British Delegation to the WTO Ministerial Conferences in 2001 and 2003
  • Member of Board for Joint Training Limited
  • Member of Board for RuskinCollege, Oxford
  • Independent reviewer on Occupational Pensions De-Regulation Review

Ed Joined CERIC as a Visiting Professor from 1 August 2008.