Shav Taj MS was born and raised in Cardiff, where she
continues to live with her husband and two daughters. Her father moved to the
UK from Pakistan in 1958 and worked in the steelworks of Port Talbot and
Cardiff. As an active trade union representative, he instilled in her a strong
sense of collectivism and solidarity.
Her mother and sister ran a small fabric shop in Cardiff,
which became a local hub and safe space for many women from diverse backgrounds
facing social and personal challenges. It was this environment that inspired
the creation of the Henna Foundation.
Born in 1976, Shav attended Cathays High School, where she
first became politically active. At the age of 15, she began organising social
justice and anti-racism campaigns. She went on to study at Coleg Glan Hafren,
the University of Glamorgan and the University of the West of England,
developing a strong interest in equality, economic justice and workers’ rights.
Before entering full-time trade union work, Shav held roles
in the retail, customer service, hospitality and charity sectors. She later
became a full-time officer for the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS).
In 2013, she was appointed Welsh Secretary, representing thousands of civil
service employees across Wales.
In 2018, Shav became President of the Trades Union Congress
(TUC) Cymru. In 2020, she was appointed Acting General Secretary, becoming the
permanent post-holder in 2021. In doing so, she became the second woman and the
first Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) person to hold the role.
Shav has served as a primary school governor and chaired her
local Constituency Labour Party. She has also served on the boards of the
People’s Health Trust and the Bevan Foundation, and was a Commissioner for the
Constitutional Future of Wales. She continues to support Show Racism the Red
Card and is a member of the FAW Strategic Committee.
In 2026, Shav was elected as the Member of the Senedd for
her home constituency of Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf. She currently serves as Welsh
Labour’s spokesperson for Employment, Equalities and Economic Transformation,
and chairs the Welsh Labour Senedd Group.
