Birmingham nurse is UNISON'S first black vice-president

Eleanor Smith, a theatre nurse from Birmingham, was today elected vice- president of UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union. She is the first black woman to be elected to this position in UNISON.

Eleanor was born and raised in Birmingham and went to Mount Pleasant comprehensive school (now Highgate school). She began her nurse training at the age of 19 at the city’s George Elliott Hospital, and now works at Birmingham Women’s Hospital.

Eleanor became a NUPE shop steward in 1990 and nine years later was voted in as branch secretary. Following NUPE’s merger into UNISON she became the union’s assistant convenor for the West Midlands region, a post she held from 2003 - 2004. In 2004 she was elected onto the National Executive Council, UNISON’s ruling body, to represent the West Midlands.

Since 2007, Eleanor has represented UNISON on the TUC General Council and has been a member of the TUC Race Relations Committee since 2005.

Apart from holding down a demanding job in the NHS, Eleanor is very active in the union in the region and was elected vice-chair of the Midlands TUC in 2008.

Eleanor wants to concentrate on promoting equality during her time in the UNISON Presidential team. She said:

“Tackling inequality in the workplace and promoting fairer access to health care and public services is an important priority for me over the next 2 years. The NHS and public services will be having to deal with massive major demands during a time of stringent budgetary pressures and looming cuts.”

Eleanor Smith is married with two daughters aged 21 and 19, and any spare time she has in between the union, her family and her work is spent in keeping fit by running 20-25 miles a week.