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Unions 21
| Blog post

Unions 21 welcomes new Co Vice Chair

By Unions 21 | 2 min

Unions 21 welcomes Martin Furlong, Head of Employment Relations at the Royal College of Podiatry, (RCPOD) to his new role as Co-Vice Chair with our current Vice Chair, Jon Skewes and Amy Leversidge (who is now on maternity leave).

At the RCPOD, Martin is responsible for leading the trade union, professional support and organising functions.

We asked Martin about this new change and what he is looking forward to in the future.

Martin says:

“It is a real and special honour to become a Co Vice Chair with Jon and Amy when she returns. The crucial role that Unions 21 have always played in thinking about the future and the opportunities and challenges facing unions is one I am passionate about.

The world of work is changing rapidly, and we need to be ready as unions to deal with the post pandemic challenges we will face and not forget the inequalities that existed before Covid-19 and haven’t gone away. I am really looking forward to working more closely with Jon, Amy, Becky and Sue to make sure that Unions 21 are at the forefront of facing that debate.

A great example of this was the Unions 21’s recent report into the changing world of work shows how these changes are going to affect the trade union movement and I was pleased to offer a response for health unions. Equally, I am looking forward to using this report as a vital tool in our on-going work.

Unions 21 can play a significant role in helping our affiliated unions learn from each other and face up to these challenges.”

In his spare time Martin promotes music events, looking after his allotment and producing cider from his small orchard in Ireland.

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