Home | About the GMB | Membership Benefits | Your GMB | Latest News | Events and Campaigns | Press Releases | Branches | Promo Charter | Your Rights | Join Us | Contact Us | Vacancies | Merchandise | Links | Sitemap

GMB Birmingham & West Midlands Region

Regional Office

Regional office

The Regional Office is based in Halesowen, in the heart of the Birmingham and West Midlands Region.
 
At Regional Office we look after functions such as Education, Health and Safety, Membership & Finance and the Legal department.
 
Within this central area we cover all three sections of membership:
  • Commercial Services
  • Public Services 
  • Manufacturing

This office also services Public Services members within five of the the largest local authorites:

  • Birmingham City Council, which is believed to be the biggest Authority in its field within Europe - roughly 38,000 personnel
  • Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Wolverhampton City Council

The central area has two teams, whose focus is on Public Services and Private Sector membership respectively.

Meet the Officers

Martin Hird

Martin Hird
Martin is the Senior Organiser and Head of Organising within the region and is also Regional Political Officer and Senior Officer responsible for the Tewkesbury Office. During his time as a Full-time Officer within the GMB Martin has had responsibility for Public Services, Commercial Services and Food & Leisure. More recently he has been the regional representative on the National Organising Team. He previously worked as an Engineer within the MOD and was elected as a Shop Steward in 1980 and shortly after became a Convenor. In 1990 he was elected Branch Secretary for the T25 Tewkesbury & Vale of Evesham Branch and has been an active member of the Labour Party, serving two terms as a Labour Councillor on the Tewkesbury Town Council from 1994 to 1998.
martin.hird@gmb.org.uk

Martin Bevan

Martin Bevan
Martin has been a trade unionist for over 35 years. He is a former factory worker, HGV driver, TUC tutor and University lecturer. Martin studied Politics at Plymouth Polytechnic, a PhD at the University of the West of England (UWE) and an MSc in Health and Safety and Risk Management at the University of Leicester. He is a Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and sits on their Public Services Specialist Group (PSG). He is also a member of the Management Board of NEBOSH
martin.bevan@gmb.org.uk

bert_hill.jpg

Bert Hill
Bert is the Senior Organiser for the Central area. He has overall responsibility for Manufacturing industries within the Central
and surrounding areas. Bert also has national responsibilities for the car industry and TRW (formerly Lucas). He began his working life as an apprentice with GKN after which he moved to Christian Salvesan Distribution where he was quickly elected to Convenor. During the 14 years in that post he was an elected member of the National Food & Leisure Committee, Regional Council, and a Regional Committee member for 6 years and Branch President of the Birmingham & Central Branch for 8 years. Bert has a certificate in Trade Union and Industrial Studies at diploma level and has completed the CMI Chartered Managers Institute Diploma at Level 4 Management. bert.hill@gmb.org.uk

Roger Jenkins

Roger Jenkins
Roger, a Regional Organiser within the Organising Team is responsible for improving the organisation of workplaces across the region. He was elected as a shop steward in 1986 and became Deputy Convenor within the Food and Leisure Industry. He moved to Engineering (Special Metals, Hereford) in 1990 and became Branch Secretary and Regional Council Member before being appointed to Organiser. Roger is active in both the Labour Party and the Regional TUC.
roger.jenkins@gmb.org.uk

russell_farrington.jpg


Russell Farrington
Russell has been with the GMB since June 2000, prior to which he was Works Convenor at Pilkington Sealed Units. Having joined as a Recruitment Officer Russell has now been appointed as an Organiser. He has previously worked within our Tamworth and Stafford Area Officers. Russell is now based at our Regional Office with various responsibilities, which include Sandwell MBC, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS as well as Companies across all the various Sections within the GMB.

russell.farrington@gmb.org.

Sharon Wilde

 
Sharon Wilde
Sharon worked for Dudley LEA for 18 years as a Nursery Nurse. She was a GMB Rep and involved in the school workforce remodelling steering groups. She is now part of the Organising Team for the region.
 

Ann Rixom

 
 
Ann Lafferty
Ann is an Organiser with 16 years of experience, she has been a GMB member since she was 21, and was a Shop Steward, Convenor and Branch Secretary before becoming a full-time Officer. She has responsibilities within Care Homes, Local Govenment and Manufacturing, and is also involved in implementing our Regional Women's Charter.

mike_trelfa.jpg

 
Mike Trelfa
Mike is an Organiser and services members in Engineering, Food & Leisure, Public Services and Distribution. Mike has been active in trade unions since 1964, becoming a Shop Steward at 17 and a Convenor at 21. He has a TUC Diploma in Contemporary Trade Unionism, Employment Law and Economics.
mike.trelfa@gmb.org.
 

manjeet_singh.jpg

 

Manjeet Singh
Manjeet is an Organiser and has been a GMB member for over 10 years. He was previously a Welder and held the position of Shop Steward. Manjeet is now based in the organising team at the Halesowen Office and is also the Regional Race Officer.
manjeet.singh@gmb.org.uk

david_day.jpg

 

David Day
Dave is an Organiser and was previously a Plant Operative/HGV Driver and Shop Steward. He now works in the organising team based at the Halesowen Office and he is currently involved in developing strategies and membership within Migrant Workers, Taxi Drivers and ASDA.
david.day@gmb.org.uk

john_willmann.jpg

 

John Willman
John is an Organiser and is responsible for the representation of Senior Managers in Local Government and members in the Electricity Industry. He has previously been a Director of Personnel, a Health Service Senior Manager, a Director of Quality Assurance in Saudi Arabia and a former FTO of Royal College of Nursing.
john.willman@gmb.org.uk

Secretarial support is provided by Alyson Harley, Wendy Brown, Jacqueline Cash, Molly Reynolds.
 
Administration support to the Organising Team is provided by Sharon Breen.
 
Finance and membership is supported by Kate Caswell, Michelle Hart, Cheryl Blakeway-Davis, Kerry Grigg, Pat Tyler (Receptionist).
 
The Regional Secretary's PA is Adelle Atkiss.

GMB.LOGO.MONO.jpg

 
 
GMB, Will Thorne House, 2 Birmingham Road, Halesowen, West Midlands, B63 3HP

T: 0121 550 4888  F: 0121 550 4272

e:
westmids@gmb.org.uk

© GMB 2002-2009