Desperately holding the line on PPF, but under near-siege from impatient members who see their ASTI colleagues on the picket line. Also faces stubborn resistance on the TUI executive from those who dislike any form of social partnership, but so far has seen them off.

In survival terms, the strategy of sticking with the ICTU and signing up for the benchmarking body has worked, with many members prepared to wait. However, he needs the Government to deliver big in the Budget and then to repeat the exercise in the benchmarking body.