Professional Activity:

• Governmental Functions – From 26th October 2009: Minister of Labour and Social Solidarity of the 18th Constitutional Government of Portugal;

• Deputy Secretary General of the European Trade Union Confederation responsible for the European Social Dialogue and European Social Policy, relations with the ILO and the Council of Europe, 2003‐2009;

• Confederal Secretary of the ETUC, responsible for Labour Market Policy,
  Vocational, Education and Training, Regional Policy and Interregional Trade Union Committees, 1999‐2003;

• Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, responsible for Labour Market Policy, Education and Vocational Training, Community Structural Funds, Social Exclusion, Racism and Xenophobia, 1995‐1999;

• Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, responsible for Labour Market Policy, Education and Vocational Training, Youth, Racism and
  Xenophobia, 1992‐1995;

• Member of the Local Assembly of Paço de Arcos (Oeiras) on behalf of the Socialist Party, 1985‐1991;

• President of the Youth Committee of the European Confederation of Trade Unions, 1988‐1991;

• Head of International Department of the UGT (General Worker’s Union, Portugal), 1988‐1991;

• Member of the Executive Committee of the Youth Forum of the European
  Communities, 1988‐1991;

• Member of the Youth Committees of the European Trade Union Confederation of
  the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 1985‐1988;

• Responsible for international affairs of the Youth Department of the UGT (General
  Worker’s Union, Portugal), 1984‐1991;

• Assistant International Department of the UGT (General Worker’s Union, Portugal), 1981‐1988;

• Member of the Advisory Council of the European Training Foundation;

• Member of the High Level Group of the European Union on Free Movement of
  Persons;

• Coordinator of the Workers’ group in the Bureau and Management Board of the
  European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop);

• Member of the European Advisory Committee for Rural Development;

• Member of the Scientific Committee of the Observatory on Immigration of the Institute of Economic and Social Research (IRES), Italy;

• Member of the Scientific Council of the Institute for Research on Employment of
  Napier University, Edinburgh, Scotland;

• Member of the European Mission for Flexicurity;
  

Academic Background

• Línguas e Literaturas Modernas (English / German) at Faculdade de Letras (University of Lisbon) Degree;

• Several language courses: Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, British Council.