[1] She worked at the Institute of Education, University of London, as an Assistant Registrar and later as Permanent Secretary to the Students' Union.

She was a member of the General Council of the Trades Union Congress from 1989 - representing NALGO, which merged to become UNISON in 1993 - and was made TUC President in 2000.

In October 2000 she left her trade union positions on being appointed as Chair of the industrial conciliation service ACAS, a post she held until 2007.

[4] She was a member of the Low Pay Commission[5] and the Employment Tribunal Taskforce and chaired the TUC Disabilities Forum.

[7] She is Chair of the Diffuse Mesothelioma Oversight Committee and a member of the Birmingham University Business Advisory Group.